Mental Health and Elite Women Footballers in England: Tensions and Challenges in a Time of Transition

Abstract

Change in the English women’s professional game has accelerated significantly over the past several years. Developments include the introduction of the first fully-professional women’s league, increased financial and commercial investment, and heightened media interest in both the game and its players (Culvin, 2019). Despite the positive conversation that surrounds these shifts, Culvin (2019) identified that elite women footballers encounter financial instability, limited post-career playing options, lack of women-specific workplace policies, and inconsistent physical and mental health support. In turn, Culvin (2019) called for further research specifically focused on the mental health of this population. Similar calls have since been echoed by players, academics, the UK government and wider sporting stakeholders. In response, this thesis—a first-of-its-kind—explores mental health and elite women footballers in the top two tiers of women’s football in England, the Women’s Super League (WSL) and the Women’s Championship (WC).

Using four studies, this project sought to advance understandings of mental health challenges concerning elite women footballers in England and explore the support available to players, providing empirically driven recommendations for practice and policy. Study One—a scoping review—investigated research concerning elite women athletes and mental health and mental illness. Findings from this review provided critical insight into the methods, theories, and focuses of research with this population, and informed subsequent studies in the thesis. Study Two attained prevalence rates of mental ill-health symptoms and help-seeking intentions in elite women footballers in England (WSL=63; WC=52). Study Three involved 21 interviews with elite women footballers (WSL= 8, WC=13) and explored their lived experiences with mental health, specifically in relation to their football context. The final study in this thesis—Study Four—included interviews with players and support staff working in WSL and WC clubs. This study explored the tensions and barriers footballers face when accessing mental health support at their club.

Key findings from this thesis highlighted that elite women footballers experience mental ill-health and face unique challenges—largely linked to aspects of their professionalising football environments—which negatively impact mental health. Notably, in contrast to previous sporting literature in this area, the footballers expressed a strong appetite for mental health support, though encountered challenges to using such support. Collectively, this thesis demonstrates that mental health support and provision across elite women’s football has not kept pace with professionalisation, despite its importance to players.