"Do me a favour and ask if you need some help": An Exploratory Investigation of Mental Health and Common Mental Disorder Experiences in Retired Professional Athletes [Interview transcripts]

Buck, Thomas, Morris, Robert and Eubank, Martin (2022) "Do me a favour and ask if you need some help": An Exploratory Investigation of Mental Health and Common Mental Disorder Experiences in Retired Professional Athletes [Interview transcripts]. [Data Collection]

Abstract

PhD thesis interview transcript data for study one and study three.
The study builds on previous literature and provides a unique insight into the mental health experiences of retired professional athletes from a variety of sporting professions. The study employed the use of in-depth, semi-structured interviews to explore the careers and subsequent retirement transitions of participants in relation to their mental health literacy and experiences of adverse mental health. Four ex-professional athletes from football (English Premier League), English Rugby League, and English Cricket were recruited, with all participants confirming they had suffered with some form of mental health issue during their playing careers. All participants had competed to the highest elite level in their respective sports. A thematic content analysis was conducted once interviews were completed and findings revealed four main antecedents that affected the participants’ mental health. These four antecedents were - transitions athletic identity, long-term injuries, and coping mechanisms. All four were discussed in relation to their mental health, subsequently conclusions and recommendations are discussed to address the possible intervention and education strategies needed to improve professional support service delivery.