ABSTRACT
As the majority of mental disorders have their onset in adolescence and early adulthood, with 50% of such disorders emerging by the age of 14 years, young athletes are likely to be particularly susceptible to mental health difficulties. The increasing early specialisation and professionalisation of competitive youth sport may contribute to this elevated risk, with the drive to maximise talent identification and develop progression to elite sport pathways potentially exerting more pressure or demands on young athletes. Despite this, there is a paucity of research on the mental health and well-being of young athletes in competitive elite sport. This chapter provides a comprehensive narrative review of the extant literature, which has focused predominantly on risk and protective factors for mental ill-health in this population, rather than incidence or prevalence studies. The complex developmental and contextual issues faced by young athletes are considered, including the challenges of managing sporting excellence alongside academic requirements and/or parental pressures, and the vulnerability of young athletes to harassment and abuse. Evidence-informed guidance regarding optimal approaches to promoting mental well-being in young athletes and responding to emerging mental ill-health within an early intervention framework are emphasised.
