Background: Athletes comprise a unique population for mental health (MH) interventions given their increased physical and mental demands paired with the closed culture of athletics. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the quality and effectiveness of MH interventions administered within a sport-specific context for varying levels of elite athletes. Methods: Studies published from January 2010 to March 2022 were identified using four databases: APA PsychInfo, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus. Inclusion was limited to intervention studies that targeted MH, well-being, or mindfulness; were administered in a sport-specific context; involved elite-level athletes; and assessed at least one MH-related outcome. Results: Nine studies satisfied the inclusion criteria and recruited successful-elite (n = 3) and semi-elite (n = 6) athletes. Intervention activities included knowledge acquisition (n = 7), skills/mindfulness training (n = 6), and group discussion (n = 8). Statistically significant improvements in MH symptoms (n = 2), knowledge (n = 3), stigma (n = 3), and stress (n = 3) were reported. Discussion: Intervention efficacy may be improved by aligning intended outcome(s), measurement tools, and modalities for a sport-specific context. Future research should consider larger sample sizes and examine individual versus team sport/between-sport differences.
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