Athletes’ perspectives on mental health in professional rugby: Exploring barriers and pathways

Kenneally, Tobias, Tibbert, Stephanie and Gelsthorpe, Samuel M (2026) Athletes’ perspectives on mental health in professional rugby: Exploring barriers and pathways. The Sport Psychologist, 40. pp. 1-11. ISSN 0888-4781

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Abstract

Recently, the importance of mental health awareness within sporting domains has grown, contributing to increasing numbers of mental health education programs. Although these programs are designed to enhance mental health awareness and promote engagement, their influence can be unclear. A key factor influencing program efficacy is the contextual understanding of mental health. The aim of this study was to gain athletes’ perspectives of mental health in a professional rugby context. Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine male professional rugby players and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Broad themes from participant interviews indicated a growing acceptance and awareness of mental health, a recognition that barriers to engaging in mental health support related to hegemonic masculinity, and that effective pathways required both individual and systemic factors. Although players increasingly recognized the importance of mental health, cultural expectations around toughness, stigma, and performance continued to shape emotional expression and engagement with support.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Masculinity, Stigma, Vulnerability, Mental health literacy
Schools:	School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Depositing User:	Jessica Tovey
Date Deposited:	14 May 2026 09:47
Last Modified:	15 May 2026 11:14
URI:	https://hsu.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/626

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