An evaluation of mental health needs of and services provided to intercollegiate athletes

Typescript (photocopy).The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mental health needs of the student athlete and to evaluate the availability and effectiveness of mental health programs to meet these needs. A survey approach was utilized to obtain the data. Members of the National Association of Academic Advisors of Athletics (NAAAA) who are affiliated with a National collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I or II school (M = 165) were asked to respond to a Program Questionnaire (PQ). The PQ was designed to assess demographic information for service providers, attitudes about the mental health of athletes, and the availability and effectiveness of mental health programs. Seventy-one NAAAA members responded to the PQ, providing a 46.7% return rate. Each NAAAA member was asked to select randomly three athletes from each of their football, men's basketball, and baseball teams (N = 423) to respond to a Student Athlete Assessment Questionnaire (SAAQ). The SAAQ was designed to assess demographic information and mental health needs of student athletes. Resultant data were subjected to descriptive analysis, multiple analysis of variance, Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc analysis, and correlation analysis. Significantly higher scores for student athlete mental health needs in the area of Career, Alcohol/Drugs (P < .05), and Stress (p < .01) were found. The post hoc analysis revealed several significant findings. Division II student athletes expressed higher scores on Emotional Adjustment, Self Image, and Stress and lower scores on Alcohol/Drug. Division I athletes obtained higher scores on Career, while baseball players obtained lower scores. White athletes obtained higher scores on Stress than did non-white athletes. The correlation analysis revealed several significant findings. A negative relationship was found for career counseling programs and Career needs of the student athlete and positive relationships were found between stress management programs and Stress needs and Self Image concerns (p < .05)..