A scoping review of factors within the higher education ecosystem influencing student-athlete mental health and wellbeing in North America: Insights and a model for mental health promotion

The purpose of this research was to synthesize peer-reviewed literature identifying factors in the organizational ecosystem that impact post-secondary student-athlete mental health in North America. We adopted a holistic definition of mental health considering outcomes related to both mental illness and multidimensional wellbeing (i.e., psychological, emotional, and social wellbeing). A structured scoping review method was used to search seven databases. Data from included studies (N = 57), were summarized according to the socioecological model of health and analyzed using thematic synthesis.   Post-secondary sport environments that promoted mental health and wellbeing supported student-athlete psychological need satisfaction and were characterized by: (1) growth-oriented motivational climates, (2) harmony between academic and athletic roles, (3) equity and inclusion, (4) social support, (5) positive relationships, (6) ethical leadership, and (7) health-promoting organizational operations. We propose a theoretically and empirically informed conceptual model illustrating features of post-secondary sport that interact to promote student-athlete mental health and wellbeing. These findings illustrate the need for multidimensional approaches to mental health promotion and further organizational research, particularly in Canada. This review highlights the mental health impacts of environmental demands and resources that can support effective institutional interventions to safeguard student-athlete mental health despite inherent stressors of competitive sport.

The American Black Press and Late Imperial Russia

In early western accounts, Russia was distinctly oppressive, a state characterized by tyranny, barbarism, and Mongolian influence. But these accounts were faulty. They were written by merchants, diplomats, and explorers, wealthy white men who had never experienced the repression they witnessed in Russia. When Black Americans looked to Russia, however, they saw a place fundamentally similar to the United States. By tracing the coverage of Russia in the American Black press from 1827 to 1917, this paper argues that the connections between slavery and serfdom drove Black attitudes toward late Imperial Russia, making Black accounts reflective of circumstances in the United States, Russia, and the Black press itself.

Institutional Barriers Impeding Collegiate Sport Club Operational Effectiveness

Collegiate sport clubs constitute an important sport outlet for college students, with club operations managed by member students serving in governing roles. While clubs are given autonomy to operate, they must navigate a complex institutional environment with regulative pressures that can impede club operations. This research explored the institutional barriers that impede collegiate sport clubs from operating effectively. Guided by a bioecological framework and social constructivist epistemology, we facilitated focus groups with 29 collegiate sports clubs, interviewed four recreational sport administrators, and collected 29 public documents pertaining to club operations across three universities in the United States. Thematic analysis across the data sources revealed three overarching themes, pointing to institutional rules, policies, and procedures (regulations on club eligibility, executive boards, resource allocations, financial activities, risk, travel, marketing); university constraints (limited university resources, organizational problems, interorganizational conflict); and club constraints (poor communication, poor planning and documentation, poor decisions, centralized leadership) as factors impeding club operations. Study implications include reducing bureaucratic red tape, training club leaders, creating a sport club council, supporting club resource acquisition, and increasing club’s division of labor and communication

Who does this benefit? A consideration of demographics in the access and impact of retirement from college sport programming

Sport retirement can reveal a host of difficulties for college athletes including minimal career preparation, mental health struggles, and identity foreclosure. While college athletes almost always note the challenges of leaving their sport behind, these challenges can be mitigated through transition programming. However, what types of programming are more useful, and for whom, is understudied. Through a mixed method survey, this study explored differences in access and impact of retirement from sport programming based on athletes’ (n = 707) demographic differences (e.g., race, division), through the lens of Goodman and colleagues’ (2006) three phases of transition. Findings revealed that Black athletes and those from working class backgrounds found programs to be more impactful than other demographic groups, supporting the argument for personalized retirement support. Additionally, Division II athletes not only had the greatest access to retirement programming, but also found programming to have more impact than other divisions. However, athletes noted that more programs are needed for every division.&nbsp