Research summary · Mental health
HBCU student-athletes describe mental-health symptoms and barriers to support
Researchers surveyed 205 student-athletes at six southeastern US Historically Black Colleges and Universities and interviewed 19 athletes. Quantitative screening results and qualitative themes were integrated to examine mental health and access to services.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Convergent mixed-methods study
- Journal
- Psychology of Sport and Exercise
- Population / context
- US collegiate sport · Historically Black Colleges and Universities
What the publication reports
Fifty-nine percent screened at risk for depression, while 51% reported mild-to-severe anxiety. Previous service use was associated with fewer symptoms. Interviews described cultural belonging and social support alongside stigma, uncertainty about services and resource disparities that complicated help-seeking.
Limits and interpretation
Screening categories are not clinical diagnoses. Observational associations cannot establish that service use reduced symptoms, and sampling from six institutions limits representativeness. Interview themes identify experiences and potential priorities, not proven effects of a particular intervention.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
Exploring mental health and service access among HBCU Student-Athletes: A mixed-methods study
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 41520854DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2026.103066Reader discussion
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