Publication Date

2026

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Henert, Shaine

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KNPE)

Abstract

Student-athlete mental health has become a central priority in intercollegiate athletics, with the NCAA emphasizing its Mental Health Best Practices (2016) and strengthening and expanding these standards through updated recommendations in 2024. These efforts reflect a broader cultural shift toward recognizing the unique psychological stressors faced by college athletes, including performance pressure, identity foreclosure, high time demands, and transitions both into and out of sport (Moreland et al., 2018; Hughes & Leavey, 2012). Additionally, student-athletes frequently delay or avoid help-seeking due to stigma, time constraints, identity-protective behaviors, cultural norms emphasizing toughness, and limited mental health literacy (Gulliver et al., 2012; Gucciardi, 2016; Yoon & Petrie, 2023).

As athletic departments strive to adopt evidence-informed approaches to athlete wellbeing, the complexity of mental health service delivery within collegiate sport structures has become increasingly apparent (Louis & Henert, 2025). Despite this growing recognition, the implementation and sustainability of evidence-based mental health services across NCAA programs remain inconsistent, particularly within mid-major athletic departments (Louis & Henert, 2025; Young et al., 2020). Although awareness of the importance of athlete mental health has expanded substantially, many athletic departments continue to face challenges in operationalizing and maintaining comprehensive systems of care (Louis & Henert, 2025; Young et al., 2020). Mid-major Division I programs represent a distinct setting, characterized by constrained resources and variable mental health service delivery models, underscoring the need for deeper understanding of how mental health policies and practices are enacted within these environments.

The purpose of this three-paper dissertation is to advance understanding of college student-athlete mental health across individual, organizational, and system-level dimensions at mid-major level athletic programs by examining (a) athletic departments’ capacity to implement NCAA Mental Health Best Practices, (b) student-athletes’ mental health status and perceived need for support within mid-major programs, and (c) the implementation processes through which mental health services are developed, delivered, and sustained within a collegiate athletic department.

Study 1 employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the lived experiences of professionals working in mid-major level athletic programs, focusing on perceived barriers and facilitators to implementing NCAA Mental Health Best Practices. Findings highlighted persistent resource limitations, role ambiguity, and implementation challenges despite strong commitment from the mental health professionals to student-athlete well-being. Study 2 utilized a cross-sectional quantitative survey to assess mental health status and perceived need for services among student-athletes competing in NCAA Division I mid-major programs. Results revealed a complex mental health profile characterized by relatively high overall well-being alongside meaningful levels of psychological distress, sport-related strain, and substantial unmet perceived need for mental health support. Study 3 employed a single-site, embedded mixed-methods case study guided by the Integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARiHS) framework to examine how mental health services were implemented within a mid-major athletic department, integrating stakeholder interviews, student-athlete survey data, and institutional documents.

Collectively, these studies illuminate the disconnect between policy, perception, and practice in collegiate athletic mental health systems. By integrating implementation science with student-athlete mental health research, this dissertation contributes a multi-level understanding of how mental health services are conceptualized, experienced, and enacted within mid-major athletic contexts. Findings offer practical, implementation focused insights to inform the development of sustainable, contextually responsive mental health service models across NCAA institutions.

Extent

174 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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