ABSTRACT
Maltreatment is an umbrella term used to refer to “volitional acts that result in or have the potential to result in physical injuries and/or psychological harm”. Fundamental to an understanding of maltreatment is the misuse of power, including acts of commission and acts of omission. Although maltreatment in sport is widely acknowledged, there is limited research to-date addressing the relationships between maltreatment experiences and athlete mental health, which is perplexing, given the burgeoning of scholarship on athlete mental health. This chapter draws connections between existing research related to athletes’ experiences of maltreatment and mental health challenges. It focuses on anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and self-harm/suicide ideation since these mental health concerns are commonly reported by athletes. Athletes have often reported experiencing anxiety, depression, and burnout during their careers. Eating disorders are another frequently reported mental health challenge in sport and tend to be more prominent in athletes than the general population, particularly for women involved in aesthetic sports.
