Mental Health and Help-Seeking: Experiences of International Student-Athletes Competing in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I

This study qualitatively examined the mental health and help-seeking experiences and perspectives of international student-athletes through the lens of Ryba et al.’s cultural transition model. Fifteen male ( n = 7) and female ( n = 8) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I international student-athletes from 13 countries participated in one-on-one semistructured interviews. Using reflexive thematic analysis, themes were generated pertaining to athletes: (a) early experiences with mental health stigma, (b) pretransition, (c) acute cultural adaptation, and (d) sociocultural adaptation. The core findings highlighted athletes’ experiences moving through three phases of cultural migration to the United States. The first phase highlighted athletes’ varied emotions (e.g., sadness, optimism) before migration, which did not involve mental health struggles. The second phase emphasized cultural adaptation challenges, shifts in mental health and support systems, and help-seeking barriers and facilitators. Finally, the third phase involved generally improved athlete mental health and help-seeking attitudes, with evolving coach–athlete relationships influencing program transfer decisions.