Elite athlete mental health: An International Society of Sport Psychology East–West perspective

This commentary, written from the International Society of Sport Psychology’s societal (ISSP) perspective, calls for a broader, culturally grounded understanding of elite athlete mental health (AMH) that transcends biomedical and performance-based paradigms. It is proposed that while evidence-based models have advanced mental health literacy and intervention, they often underrepresent the sociocultural, moral, and relational contexts that shape athletes’ lived experiences of wellbeing. Drawing from Western, Eastern, and Indigenous epistemologies, AMH is conceptualised as a dynamic and contextually embedded process rather than an individual clinical state. By fostering a global dialogue grounded in cultural humility and ethical reflexivity, AMH is envisioned as not merely the absence of illness but the presence of human flourishing, an aspiration linking athletic excellence with the collective good.