Investigating athletic identity, help-seeking, and psychological well-being of Gaelic games players: a social identity mapping study

Introduction: There are indications that athletes experience poor psychological wellbeing at a comparable and potentially higher rate than the general population. Research suggests that social identity can play a critical role in psychological wellbeing, particularly among those who develop identities that are highly connected to their role as an athlete. Gaelic games play a unique, intrinsic role in Irish society and are closely linked to social identity. Aim: The aim of the current study is to examine the relationship between social identity, athletic identity, help-seeking, and psychological wellbeing in a population of Gaelic games players. Methods: The study utilised a cross-sectional survey design incorporating Online Social Identity Mapping, The General Help-seeking Questionnaire, The Mental Health Continuum Short Form, and The Four Item Scale of Social Identification. Parametric and non-parametric correlations were conducted alongside a hierarchical regression. Participants (N=296) were active Gaelic games players across Ireland and the UK. Results: Due to partial completion of survey information, a limited number of participants contributed to the main analysis (N=59). Predicted Mean Matching was utilised to account for missing data. Contrary to the proposed hypothesis, no significant relationship was found between social identity variables and psychological wellbeing. Help-seeking attitude was significantly associated with psychological wellbeing. Discussion: The results highlight the need to normalise and prioritise help-seeking within sporting communities to reduce the stigma around seeking help for psychological wellbeing. Directions for future research such as larger sample size and in person testing are also discussed. Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2027.