Controlled Evaluation of a Method to Assist Recruitment of Participants Into Treatment Outcome Research and Engage Student-Athletes Into Substance Abuse Intervention

Abstract

Recruitment of participants into treatment outcome studies is an important and often challenging aspect of human research. Yet, there have been very few controlled trials that have examined methods of recruiting participants into clinical trials, particularly in populations that may be reluctant to pursue mental health intervention, such as athletes. In this study, 79 NCAA Division I, Club, and Intramural student-athletes volunteered to participate in a study to determine their interest in participating in one of two goal-oriented programs representing two arms in a clinical trial. These programs were aimed at reducing substance abuse and sexually transmitted infections, and improving mental health, relationships, and sport performance. The participants were randomly assigned to Standard Recruitment (SR) or Recruitment Engagement (RE). RE included a review of the aforementioned outcome study and implementation of strategies that were developed to motivate participants to engage in treatment. The SR condition involved a review of the aforementioned treatment outcome study only. After the recruitment interventions were implemented, participants were queried to report any negative consequences that may have occurred from their use of illicit drugs or alcohol. Participants who reported negative consequences were invited to participate in baseline assessment of the aforementioned outcome study. Results indicated that 11 (25.0%) of the participants in the RE condition provided their consent to participate, 9 (20.5%) of whom subsequently completed baseline assessment; only 2 (5.7%) of the SR participants provided their study consent and subsequently participated in baseline assessment for the clinical trial (p < .05). After the respective recruitment intervention was implemented, participants were administered psychometrically validated instruments to assess their overall psychiatric functioning and the extent to which their sport performance was negatively impacted by dysfunctional thoughts and stress. Participants in RE were more likely to report greater dysfunctional thoughts and stress interfering with their sport performance (and, to a lesser extent, greater psychiatric problems) than SR participants, suggesting RE may influence greater disclosure of problem behavior than SR, permitting the interviewers opportunities to empathize with the participants’ concerns. Results are discussed in light of their implications to treatment outcome research and clinical and counseling practice involving student-athletes.

Mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes: a systematic review on cultural influencers and barriers to athletes seeking treatment

“…We identified seven intervention studies designed to decrease barriers to athlete mental health treatment-seeking. Despite improving mental health knowledge and decreasing stigma attached to mental health disorders, these studies reported no effects on mental health treatment-seeking 40 41 49 50 58–60. Generally, the interventions were short-term, aiming to increase awareness and understanding of mental health, decrease stigma attached to it, and reduce overall barriers to accessing mental health supports and services for athletes.…”

“…Donohue et al 59 tested two semi-structured interview formats: one interview focused on discussing the athlete’s experiences in sports, and the other focused on describing sport psychology and its potential benefits to the athlete. Donohue et al 60 conducted a subsequent study to determine interest in participating in one of two goal-oriented programmes. Donohue et al 58 also tested a sport-specific optimisation approach to concurrent mental health and sport performance, which consisted of a longer intervention, with 12 performance meetings of 60 to 90 min within 4 months.…”

Mental Health and Sport Performance Programming in Athletes Who Present Without Pathology: A Case Examination Supporting Optimization

“…These strategies may lead athletes to realize that mental health programs are capable of assisting them in athletic performance optimization. The use of engagement strategies is another tool that may increase referrals to psychologically based optimization programs (Donohue et al, 2016). Indeed, it will be important for professional organizations to proactively adopt such practices while mandating athletes to participate in psychometrically validated mental health screening procedures that are aimed at identifying athletes who either evidence mental health conditions, or are at risk to develop them.…”

A comprehensive examination of factors impacting collegiate athletes' utilization of psychological assessment and intervention services

“…No significant between‐group intervention effects were found in service utilization, although the intensive intervention reduced stigma associated with mental health relative to the control condition. Donohue et al (2016) compared standard engagement (SE) with SE plus discussion of mental health/substance use in collegiate athletes. Results demonstrated that participants who were randomly assigned to the more involved engagement condition were more likely to consent to participate in goal‐oriented intervention specific to sport and life in general, but no significant intervention effects were found in therapeutic attendance.…”

“…However, researchers have cautioned about using self‐reports of willingness and intentions as proxies for actual behavioral treatment attendance (see comprehensive review by Moreland et al, 2018). To our knowledge, only three studies involving collegiate athletes have examined psychological help seeking behavior (i.e., attendance) as an identified outcome in controlled research (Donohue et al, 2004; Donohue et al, 2016; Gulliver et al, 2012a). Therefore, determining factors that are likely to influence actual mental health service utilization may assist outreach efforts and intervention development.…”