Barriers and facilitators to help-seeking: A dual perspective from Canadian NextGen athletes and coaches

NextGen athletes are situated within a developmental high-performance phase characterized by increased training demands, performance expectations, and progression toward national-level standards. Although mental health and mental performance services may be available to these athletes, little is known about the cultural, relational, and developmental factors that shape their help-seeking behaviors. Using a dual lens perspective, this study explored NextGen athletes’ and coaches’ perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to help-seeking services. Eleven focus groups were conducted: seven with a total of 24 NextGen athletes, and four with a total of 15 coaches. A reflexive thematic analysis identified six themes: (a) Resistance to Seeking Help, (b) Interpersonal Dynamics Compromising Help-Seeking Behaviors, (c) Organizational and Systemic Constraints, (d) Embedding the Support within the Sport Environment, (e) Making Space for Mental Health and Mental Performance, and (f) Changing the System to Increase Help-Seeking. Both groups of participants identified similar challenges (e.g., lack of awareness, funding) and facilitators (e.g., internal support, coaches’ support) that included athletes themselves, but also the broader sport environment in which they evolved. Additionally, coaches noted that athletes were not always proactive in seeking help, with their behaviors sometimes shaped by external influences, including parental overinvolvement. Both groups highlighted the importance of integrating resources earlier in athletes’ careers, working with agents in athletes’ environment to normalize help-seeking, and systematically coordinate resources. Intervention research is needed to increase awareness in NextGen sport and developing policies that will bring systemic changes across athletes’ ecosystems, positioning help-seeking as an integral part of high-performance sport.