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Abstract

Mental health and psychological well-being continue to be significant areas of concern for collegiate student-athletes. Researchers have identified the perceived barriers preventing student-athletes from using mental health services which include lack of knowledge, limited access, and perceived negative stigma (e.g., Harris & Maher, 2023; Yoon & Petrie, 2023). Organizational culture, loosely defined as a group’s accumulated shared learning (Schein & Schein, 2017), plays an important role in guiding the behaviors of its members. Developing a positive athletic department culture around mental health can, in turn, be beneficial to increasing student-athletes’ help-seeking behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore mental health culture in collegiate athletic departments. Using a dual-case study approach (Stake, 1995), data sources included interviews (n = 14), archival documents, physical artifacts, and direct observation. Analyzed using models of organizational culture as a conceptual framework (Schein & Schein, 2017; Schroeder, 2010), visibility, integration, and leadership support around mental health were imperative to informing current culture and generating strategies for culture change. Practical recommendations for mental health providers and athletic administrators are presented to improve athletic department culture toward effective mental health support.

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