Suicidal ideation among Chinese national team elite athletes

The present study reveals the subjective experiences of suicidal ideation among Chinese national team athletes. The two objectives were to situate the experiences of athletes' suicidal ideation and to identify the common features of athletes' suicidal ideation and their coping strategies in the Chinese sport system. Following a critical realist framework, 10 national team athletes were purposively recruited to share their experiences of suicidal ideation as they progressed in their national teams through in-depth semi-structured interviews. A reflexive thematic analysis followed by composite vignettes were undertaken to provide a rich description of suicidal ideation in relation to the athletes' progressive careers. Three composite vignettes were generated: (a) suicidal ideation resulting from early overtraining, (b) difficulty in adjusting to a highly competitive environment post-transition, and (c) competition failures among established athletes. The manifestations, durations, reactions, and coping strategies of suicidal ideations varied as the athletes progressed in their careers. Age, athletic performance, social support, medal-orientation, and collectivism contributed to suicidal ideation.