Gymnastik- och idrottshögskolan, GIH

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a sport-specific acceptance and commitment therapy group intervention enhancing athletes' mental well-being. Acceptance and commitment therapy is a cognitive-behavioral approach including psychological flexibility skills training to promote mental well-being in sport. In addition, we examined new skills acquired by the athletes and individual differences in their experiences. A total of 43 athletes who completed the intervention were surveyed at the end of the intervention using semistructured questionnaires and a thematic analysis. Overall, 93% of athletes found the intervention useful or very useful, and all of the athletes recommended the intervention to other athletes. The thematic analysis revealed the themes of increased acceptance and present-moment skills, self-awareness, and value-based actions. The results indicate that the intervention is feasible and accepted by athletes. All athletes, regardless of gender, age, or sport, found the intervention useful.

Self-compassion is associated with positive mental health outcomes and may buffer against negative selfevaluations and emotional difficulties. Nevertheless, studies among athletes often explore self-compassion in specific groups in isolation (e.g., women athletes) (Ro<spacing diaeresis>thlin et al., 2019). The aims of this study were to 1) explore whether the relationship between gender and composite scores and specific dimensions of self-compassion (e.g., self-judgement) was moderated by athlete status; and 2) to explore the relationship between different dimensions of self-compassion and self-reported depressive symptoms and well-being among team sport athletes (n = 84, Mage = 22.9 +/- 5.0; 57.1 %men) and non-athletes (n = 189, Mage = 35.5 +/- 5.9; 32.8 %men). For our first aim, the relationship between gender and self-compassion (including specific dimensions) was not moderated by athlete status. However, regardless of gender, athletes reported significantly higher total self-compassion scores and significantly lower scores on specific dimensions of self-compassion, isolation, and over-identification, than nonathletes. For our second aim, self-judgement was positively associated with depressive symptoms in both athletes and non-athletes. Self-judgment was, however, negatively associated with well-being only among athletes, and isolation was negatively correlated with well-being only among non-athletes. Our results suggest that reducing self-judgement may be particularly important for promoting athletes' mental health

Accurate psychological measurements remain challenging due to the symptoms' latent and subjective nature. Standard instruments for assessing generalized anxiety and depression, such as the GAD-7 and PHQ-9, typically rely on Likert scaling. This study examined Borg centiMax (cMax) adaptations of these measures to study whether ratio-scaled response formats retain the psychometric properties of the originals. Adults from a convenience sample (N = 138) completed Likert and cMax multi-item (MI) of the GAD-7 and PHQ-9, a single-item (SI) cMax global measure of GAD and MDD, and life satisfaction. Analyses assessed internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, and discriminative validity. Both cMax MI and Likert formats showed good to excellent internal consistency. Strong convergence between cMax and Likert measures of general anxiety (r = .73-.77) and depression (r = .79-.86), indicated preserved construct coverage. Divergent validity was supported by moderate associations with life satisfaction (r = -.44 to -.63). ROC analyses showed good-to-excellent MI and SI cMax discrimination of clinically relevant anxiety and depression (sensitivity = .82-.92; specificity = .76-.93). Both formats also distinguished between participants who did or did not recognize themselves in the descriptions of GAD and MDD. MI and SI formats performed comparably, with MI aligning slightly more closely with traditional scales. We conclude that the centiMax-based instruments retained the psychometric and structural properties of the original scales while providing a ratio-scaled, standardized response format that may enhance interpretability and cross-domain comparability in psychological assessment.

An emerging trend in elite sports research and practice, is suggestion that the promotion of mental health or treatment of mental ill-health will directly contribute to enhanced sports performance. This notion is likely done with the intention of maximising buy-in and justifying need for a focus on mental health in such a unique highperformance environment. However, in this commentary we critically discuss how this intuitive and wellintentioned approach may actually be contributing to harmful consequences. In building our case against this performance framing of mental healthcare, we argue that 1) this is not currently supported by reliable causal findings within the literature, 2) this risks having a stigmatising effect for those experiencing mental ill-health, and 3) that it fundamentally opposes an ethical responsibility to support athletes' mental health irrespective of their perceived performance value. We encourage practitioners, researchers, and leaders in elite sports settings to be cautious and strive for clarity with the language that is used to emphasise the importance of mental health. This can help to ensure that we continue to work towards ultimately supporting the person behind the athlete.

We describe a clinical, evidence-based metaphor of a mountaineering expedition to assist mental health professionals in supporting and caring for the mental health of high-performance athletes. Our work is based on a qualitative analysis of responses to open-ended questions provided to 318 elite athletes in six European countries: Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Our mountaineering expedition metaphor, which we outline in terms of practical strategies to adopt as part of interventions to foster mental health, encompasses six interrelated themes that reflect key mental health support components: (a) preparing the expedition, (b) packing the backpack, (c) setting up base camp, (d) turning on the walkie-talkie, (e) attacking the summit , (f) debriefing. fi ng. The mountaineering expedition metaphor provides practical , transferable language to facilitate discussion, reduce stigma, and improve mental health literacy. Practitioners are invited to explore metaphor-based approaches to supporting mental health.

Mental health screening has rapidly gained prominence within sport organisations as an important mental health initiative, to identify individuals at risk and facilitate early intervention. Despite growing policy endorsement and institutional uptake, the empirical and ethical foundations underpinning mental health screening in sport have received limited critical scrutiny. The present paper, therefore, provides a critical narrative review to examine the conceptual, empirical, and ethical foundations of mental health screening in sport. We first provide a concise overview of what is meant by mental health screening in the context of high-performance sport, followed by a discussion of the rationale behind its use. We then critically examine the available evidence, structured around four key areas: (a) the predictive validity of existing screening instruments, (b) implementation and feasibility considerations, (c) the effectiveness of mental health screening programmes, and (d) potential harms and unintended consequences associated with screening. We conclude the paper by offering our recommendations on the conditions under which mental health screening may be considered, as well as situations in which alternative approaches may be more appropriate. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Working as a coach within a high-performance context is a demanding profession that may adversely affect mental health. However, empirical knowledge concerning the mental health of elite coaches remains limited. Consequently, this study investigated mental distress among elite coaches in Norway, its associations with work environment factors and life satisfaction, and the prevalence of diagnosable mental disorders. A two-phase design was adopted. In Phase 1, 114 coaches completed an online self-report questionnaire assessing mental distress, work environment, and life satisfaction. Coaches identified as "at-risk" for a mental disorder were subsequently invited to Phase 2, which consisted of structured diagnostic interviews using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. In Phase 1, 35.1% of coaches reported "at-risk" scores for mental health problems, with symptoms of insomnia, depression, and anxiety most frequently observed. In Phase 2, 28 coaches participated, of whom 46.4% met diagnostic criteria for a mental disorder. Work-related variables particularly psychological safety, unpredictability, role expectations, and work-life imbalance were more strongly associated with both mental health challenges and life satisfaction than others. These findings highlight the importance of promoting sustainable work environments and ensuring access to early intervention, treatment, and adequate resources to support mental health challenges in elite coaching.