Prioritizing Mental Health for Indian Athletes: Systematic Literature Review Integrated with an Athlete Psychological Performance Development Framework for Olympic Excellence

Background of the Study: India&s;s pursuit of Olympic excellence necessitates a holistic approach addressing both physical and mental well-being. However, limited research exists on the mental health of Indian athletes. Historically, the focus has been on physical training, neglecting psychological needs. Athletes face socio-cultural challenges, performance pressures, and inadequate mental health resources, impacting performance at major events. The study primarily focuses on the domain of mental health support and formulates a framework in order to emphasize athletes’ psychological well-being to achieve favorable outcome in the Olympics. Methodology: The study uses a systematic literature review to find the challenges that are derived due to mental health conditions and boost Indian athletes in psychological areas. Limited research has been conducted in this area. All the research studies and Olympic reports that have been published in electronic databases from 2014 to 2024 were reviewed using the keywords “Mental Health in Sports” and “Psychological well-being”, among which twenty articles (n=20) have been systematically examined in order to evaluate mental well-being and support on performances of athletes. Findings: Across twenty different studies, researchers found that mental health challenges often led athletes to struggle with their performance. These challenges included self-doubt, a lack of motivation, and difficulty managing emotions. Furthermore, most studies highlighted a shortage of mental health support, widespread negative perceptions, and a lack of structured plans for resilience. Conclusion: As a result, three key themes emerged: the critical role of mental health in athletic performance, significant gaps in India&s;s mental training systems, and the urgent need for sports-specific mental health strategies. In response to these findings, the APPDF (Athlete Psychological Performance Development Framework) model addresses these issues by providing step-by-step mental health support, helping athletes become more resilient and perform better over the long term.