Diagnostic effectiveness of Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool 1 supplemented with a brief clinical intake interview in a cohort of Polish elite Olympic athletes

Objective: Several studies have used Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool 1 (SMHAT-1) among athletes but none combined SMHAT-1 with a subsequent clinical intake interview. This is the first study to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of SMHAT-1 supplemented by a brief, in-person clinical intake interview, in evaluating the prevalence of mental health concerns in elite athletes. Methods : The triage and all SMHAT-1 screenings were administered in-person during the routine biannual medical check-up for elite athletes from Olympic sports at the National Centre for Sports Medicine in Poland. Immediately after the screenings, athletes were interviewed by qualified psychologists who evaluated their mental health and provided recommendations. Results: A total of 1121 elite athletes (545 female, 576 male) participated two to eight months before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games; 72.4% of athletes scored above the triage threshold for psychological distress and 51% were positively screened in SMHAT-1. However, based on the subsequent mental health evaluation, only 9.5% showed signs of persistent mental health concerns and required referral to a mental health specialist. In 24.2% of athletes, their distress levels/symptoms were assessed as occasional and normal in relation to demands and they underwent a psychoeducational intervention or were advised to consult a sport psychologist. Female athletes scored significantly higher in most questionnaires. Conclusion: SMHAT-1 proved a useful addition to the routine biannual medical check-ups for elite athletes. Extending SMHAT-1 with a brief clinical intake interview substantially elevated the efficacy of mental health evaluation, with an additional benefit of raising mental health literacy and awareness.