This consensus statement is the product of an international Think Tank on the initiative of the International Society of Sport Psychology. The purpose of the Think Tank was to unify major sport psychology organizations in a discussion of the current status and future challenges of applied and research aspects of athlete mental health. The contributors present six propositions and recommendations to inspire sport organizations and researchers. The propositions are: Mental health is a core component of a culture of excellence; Mental health in a sport context should be better defined; Research on mental health in sport should broaden the scope of assessment; Athlete mental health is a major resource for the whole athletic career and life post-athletic career; The environment can nourish or malnourish athlete mental health; and Mental health is everybody's business but should be overseen by one or a few specified members. It is recommended that researchers unite to develop a more contextualized definition of athlete mental health and more comprehensive strategies of assessment, as well as join forces with sporting organizations to investigate sustainable elite sport environments and the role of the mental health officer. Sport organizations are advised to recognize athlete mental health as a core component of a healthy elite sport system and a key indicator of their effectiveness, support research initiatives, and to promote the mental health literacy of all their staff while engaging a mental health officer with the responsibility to oversee a support system.

The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of studies concerning the mental health (MH) of elite athletes and to provide a methodological, conceptual, and applied overview of factors affecting elite athletes' MH. A total of nine reviews and 43 empirical studies were evaluated and are reported in three sections: sample characteristics, research design, and factors affecting elite athletes' MH. These factors were grouped into risk and protective factors and divided into a personal and sport-environmental domain.The studies used quantitative (84%), qualitative (11%), and mixed-method (5%) designs and examined a wide range of sports in different countries. Our review shows that researchers have predominantly examined the prevalence of athletes' mental ill-health (e.g., depression) and the related factors compromising MH. Potential protective factors such as the feeling of autonomy, positive relations in sport and private life, and adequate recovery were highlighted in the qualitative studies. The discussion appraises the findings through a critical lens, focuses on the current state of the research area and the MH definition, limitations, suggested practical implications (e.g., to provide MH literacy to both athletes and coaches), and future research directions (e.g., examining environments that foster elite athletes' MH).

The holistic ecological approach to research in talent development in sport highlights the central role of the overall environment, as it affects an athlete in his or her athletic development. Applying the holistic ecological approach, this article examines talent development among male under-17 soccer players in a Danish soccer club with a history of successfully developing several of its juniors to top-level soccer players. Principal methods of data collection include interviews, participant observations of daily life in the environment, and analysis of documents. The environment was centered around the relationship between players and a staff of coaches, assistants, and managers that helped the players to focus on: A holistic lifestyle, handling dual careers (sport and school), developing the ability to work hard, and being self-aware and responsible for their own training. Furthermore, the environment was characterized by a strong, open, and cohesive organizational culture based on integrated values concerned with the balance of the player’s daily lives in school and sport. We argue that the holistic ecological approach opens new avenues and holds the potential to inspire coaches and practitioners to be sensitive to and analyze not only the individual player’s athletic development but also the overall strategies and organizational settings, in the talent development environment.

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The purpose of this article is to present practitioners and applied researchers with specific details of an ecological-inspired program and intervention in a professional football (soccer) club in Denmark. Based on an ecological agenda, the aim is to reinforce the culture of psychosocial development in the daily practice of a professional football academy, provide the skills required to succeed at the professional level and create stronger relations between the youth and professional departments. The authors suggest six principles as fundamental governing principles to inform an intervention inspired by the holistic ecological perspective. Descriptions of the intervention program and findings are presented in four interconnected steps. Insights are provided into delivery of workshops, the supervision of the coach, on-pitch training, evaluation of the program, and integrating sport psychology as a part of the culture within the club.