The current status and issues of competitive sports for people with mental health problems

Abstract

The importance of sports for people with physical health problems has been widely recognized, and disciplines for adaptive sports have been established. However, competitive sports for people with mental health problems have not yet been established, and the practice and dissemination of such sports have not been promoted sufficiently in terms of people’s rights and significance of the sports. We conducted a literature review to clarify the current status and issues of competitive sports for people with mental health problems. The number of people with mental health problems involved in competitive sports has steadily increased, and such sports are regarded as useful activities. Their effects have also been reported in a large number of articles. However, only a few surveys have been conducted to investigate the needs of people with mental health problems involved in sports, leaving it unclear whether the support provided for them is meeting their needs. Additionally, despite the current active approaches towards the globalization of adaptive sports, the practice and dissemination of sports remains static in Japan, and insufficient opportunities have been given to those involved in sports. This indicates the need to clarify competitive sports that are desired by both individuals involved in sports as well as their supporters, and to develop a framework to promote participation in the sports and dissemination.