Mental Health in Youth Athletes: A Clinical Review

The majority of mental health disorders have their onset during adolescence and early adulthood, with roughly half of these disorders emerging in mid-adolescence. While sport offers a range of critically important benefits, competitive demands on young athletes may increase susceptibility to mental health symptoms and disorders during an already challenging developmental period, especially in the context of elite sport, which is characterized by increasing professionalization and specialization. This clinical review examines key literature regarding risk factors for mental health symptoms and disorders in youth athletes, as well as providing informed practical guidance for clinicians working with this cohort.