Author(s): KOWALSKI, T., NOWOSADKO, N., MAZUR, W., SLAWINSKA, M., KARBOWSKA, J., ZAJAC, J., WALERIANCZYK, W., GORGOL-WALERIANCZYK, J., Institution: INSTITUTE OF SPORT - NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, Country: POLAND, Abstract-ID: 199

INTRODUCTION
Athlete mental health has become an increasingly prominent topic in both academic literature and public discourse. Despite facing comparable performance pressures and occupational demands, the mental health of elite coaches remains largely overlooked. By providing an integrative synthesis of current evidence, this review aims to identify key risk and protective factors influencing coaches’ mental health, thereby informing future research, policy, and intervention strategies.

METHODS
The systematic scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA guidelines. The PCC mnemonic (participants: elite coaches, concept: personal and occupational risk and protective factors, context: mental health) guided study selection. Systematic searches were conducted in seven databases (Scopus, Embase, MEDLINE Ultimate, PubMed Central, APA PsycINFO, ERIC, SPORTDiscus) on August 20, 2025, without restrictions on publication year. Additional hand-search was conducted across October 2025.

RESULTS
We screened 4306 records, and 84 studies investigating 5570 elite coaches were included. Most studies originated from high-income Anglophone countries, employed qualitative or cross-sectional designs, and examined mixed or team sport samples. Six key thematic areas were identified: job characteristics, social and organisational support, personal resources and individual characteristics, coping styles, work–life interface, and lifestyle factors. Job demands represent key risk factors for mental ill-health, including long and irregular hours, employment instability, constant performance evaluation, and limited autonomy. Conversely, social and organizational support consistently functioned as key protective factors. Personal attributes, such as emotional regulation and self-awareness, supported coaches’ capacity to manage adversity and maintain well-being. Adaptive coping styles buffered against chronic stress, whereas maladaptive strategies, such as rumination and emotional suppression, increased vulnerability to distress. The work-life interface is another domain where risk and protection converge: persistent imbalance undermined well-being, while flexible policies, family support, and conscious detachment facilitated it. Lifestyle contributes to mental health variability, with adequate recovery, sleep, and exercise serving protective roles.

CONCLUSIONS
The synthesis shows that elite coaches’ mental health is driven less by individual vulnerability and more by chronic demands combined with limited systemic support. Although mental health concerns appeared prevalent among elite coaches, evidence on associated risk and protective factors remains scarce, indicating systemic imbalance. More diverse, longitudinal, and intervention-based studies seem warranted. Future research should adopt unified terminology, standardized reporting of contextual and participant characteristics, and greater adherence to established reporting guidelines.