Under the face mask: Racial-ethnic minority student-athletes and mental health use

Jorge Ballesteros, Alisia G.T.T. Tran

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    27 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Objective: To investigate racial-ethnic minority student-athletes’ (REMSA) symptoms of distress (mental health need), mental health use (usage rate), and factors that influence mental health usage. Participants: There were 241 varsity athletes (African American = 108, Latinos = 66, Asian American= 67) from the American College Health Association Fall 2015 data set. Results: Seventy-eight percent of REMSA reported some form of mental health need and only 11% of these athletes in need reported using mental health services in the past year. Additionally, a binominal logistic regression was run to identify demographic and mental health predictors of mental health use. Higher stress (β = 1.58, OR = 3.49, p <.01) and having upperclassman standing (β = 1.07, OR = 3.91, p <.05) predicted service use for athletes. Conclusions: Mental health professionals should be aware of the high mental health need for REMSA and the low usage rate of mental health services.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)169-175
    Number of pages7
    JournalJournal of American College Health
    Volume68
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Feb 17 2020

    Keywords

    • Mental health services
    • racial-ethnic minorities
    • student-athletes

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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