Bird, Niamh and McCarthy, Geoffrey and O’Sullivan, Katriona (2019) Exploring the Effectiveness of an Integrated Mixed Martial Arts and Psychotherapy Intervention for Young Men’s Mental Health. American Journal of Men's Health, 13 (1). ISSN 1557-9883

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Abstract

This research sought to establish the impact of a 10-week program combining mixed martial arts (MMA) and one-to-one psychotherapy on young males’ mental health and determine factors that predict help-seeking behavior in at-risk males. Preparticipation and post-participation interviews were employed as the method of data collection. Seven males (20–35 years; M = 24.57) completed preparticipation interviews and five completed follow-up interviews. Thematic analysis of preparticipation revealed that help-seeking behavior in at-risk males is impeded by the presence of male gender stereotypes, the absence of positive role models, as well as difficulty navigating challenging social landscapes. Post-participation interviews revealed that the sport provided structure and fitness for at-risk males, while the counseling was pivotal for personal growth. Improved relationships, work life, and self-esteem were also observed. The sporting element of the program helped to reduce stigma associated with engaging in psychotherapy, and positive male relationships were noted as particularly impactful. Findings support previous research indicating that combining sports and psychotherapy positively impacts young males’ mental health. Sport provides an acceptable doorway to psychotherapy, providing space to explore personal issues.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). Cite as: 1. Bird N, McCarthy G, O’Sullivan K. Exploring the Effectiveness of an Integrated Mixed Martial Arts and Psychotherapy Intervention for Young Men’s Mental Health. American Journal of Men’s Health. January 2019. doi:10.1177/1557988319832121
Keywords:	male; mental health; mental health services; counseling; psychotherapy; sport; Ireland;
Academic Unit:	Assisting Living & Learning,ALL institute Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	15272
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988319832121
Depositing User:	Katriona O'Sullivan
Date Deposited:	18 Jan 2022 17:05
Journal or Publication Title:	American Journal of Men's Health
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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