However, the evidence regarding sports participation at the elite level is limited, with available research indicating that elite athletes may be more susceptible to mental health problems, potentially due to the intense mental and physical demands placed on elite athletes. Notably, these benefits are observed across different sports and sub-populations (including youth, adults, older adults, males, and females). Often, the social and mental health benefits facilitated through participation in sport exceed those achieved through participation in other leisure-time or recreational activities. Participation in individual and team sports have shown to be beneficial to physical, social, psychological, and cognitive health outcomes. The organizational structure of sport and the performance demands characteristic of sport training and competition provide a unique opportunity for participants to engage in health-enhancing physical activity of varied intensity, duration, and mode and the opportunity to do so with other people as part of a team and/or club.

Additional qualitative work is also required to gain a better understanding of the relationship between specific elements of the sporting environment and mental health and social outcomes in adult participants. This review also provides preliminary evidence for the Mental Health through Sport model, though further experimental and longitudinal evidence is needed to establish the mechanisms responsible for sports effect on mental health and moderators of intervention effects. Team sports, however, may provide more potent and additional benefits for mental and social outcomes across adulthood. The findings of this review confirm that participation in sport of any form (team or individual) is beneficial for improving mental health and social outcomes amongst adults. Low ROB was observed for qualitative studies, but quantitative studies demonstrated inconsistencies in methodological quality. Overall, adults participating in team sport had more favorable health outcomes than those participating in individual sport, and those participating in sports more often generally report the greatest benefits however, some evidence suggests that adults in elite sport may experience higher levels of psychological distress. The evidence indicates that participation in sport (community and elite) is related to better mental health, including improved psychological well-being (for example, higher self-esteem and life satisfaction) and lower psychological ill-being (for example, reduced levels of depression, anxiety, and stress), and improved social outcomes (for example, improved self-control, pro-social behavior, interpersonal communication, and fostering a sense of belonging). Data was extracted for demographics, methodology, and study outcomes, and results presented according to study design. The search strategy located 8528 articles, of which, 29 involving adults 18–84 years were included for analysis. Risk of bias (ROB) was determined using the Quality Assessment Tool (quantitative studies) or Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (qualitative studies). Eligible qualitative and quantitative studies reported on the relationship between sport participation and mental health and/or social outcomes in adult populations. Nine electronic databases were searched, with studies published between 2012 and March 2020 screened for inclusion.

The findings have informed the development of the ‘Mental Health through Sport’ conceptual model for adults. This study presents the results of an updated systematic review of the mental health and social outcomes of community and elite-level sport participation for adults. Sport is a subset of physical activity that can be particularly beneficial for short-and-long-term physical and mental health, and social outcomes in adults.

Life size posters of athletes