User:BT28/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_psychology#Mental_Health_in_Sport_Psychology

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
(Briefly explain why you chose it, why it matters, and what your preliminary impression of it was.)

I chose to evaluate this article as it is an area of interest which could relate to clinical psychology. The article is focused on Sports Psychology, specifically Mental Health in Sports Psychology. As an avid sports fan, I have noticed the increasing exposure and awareness of mental health in sports, which has been widely broadcasted in recent years. Concepts such as meditation coaches and sessions before games, emotional support dogs, and other mental health practices have become more prevalent in the sports industry. There are specific areas I would like to add as this section of the article is rather short. Perhaps expanding on the prevalence of mental health issues in sports and how athletes seek the help they need. I would also like to do more research on the impact of sports participation itself.

Evaluate the article
(Compose a detailed evaluation of the article here, considering each of the key aspects listed above. Consider the guiding questions, and check out the examples of what a useful Wikipedia article evaluation looks like.)

Leading Section:

The leading paragraph goes through a lot of the sections of the article. It mentions that it’s an interdisciplinary science drawing from various fields. It highlights how psychological factors impact performance and how participation in sports affects both psychological and physical aspects. It mentions that sport psychologists teach cognitive and behavioral strategies to athletes to improve their performance. However, there is no reference directly specific to the mental health section of the article. The lead does not include information that is not present in the article, and it strikes a balance between being concise and providing important details.

Content:

The content of the "Mental Health in Sports" section is relevant to the topic as it discusses the significant role mental health plays in an athlete's performance. However, the citations used to support its claims could be considered outdated, particularly when stating that mental health research in athletes was underdeveloped and unreliable as of 2016. The absence of up-to-date information may limit the accuracy and validity of these statements. The section highlights common stressors affecting athletes' mental health, such as injuries, underperformance, and environmental factors, and acknowledges that these stressors can contribute to deeper mental health issues like anxiety and depression. It also mentions that some athletes may use sports as a means of escape from their mental health issues. This section does not mention anything todo with Wikipedia's equity gaps or focus on historically underrepresented populations. Overall, while the content is relevant, the lack dated information could be improved to improve the article's credibility.

Tone & Balance:

The section’s tone appears to be generally neutral. The section does not heavily favor a particular position. It provides a balanced view of the topic by acknowledging both the potential negative impact of stressors on mental health and the possible coping mechanisms adopted by some athletes. It does not attempt to persuade the reader in favor of one position or against another.

Sources & References:

The section has two citations. The first is an academic journal article titled “The Mental Health of Elite Athletes” by the NIH. The second is another academic journal article titled “Athlete mental health: future directions” by BMJ journals. Each source has multiple authors. Both reflect the intended purpose of the section. However, the first source is from 2016 which isn’t the most up-to-date information. In terms of better sources, there is another peer-reviewed article titled "The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults: a systematic review and the 'Mental Health through Sport' conceptual model" by the NIH, which was published in 2023. This would be a more reliable source that is also relevant to the topic.

Organization & Writing Quality:

The section is relatively concise and clear. The writing style is straightforward and easy to read. In terms of organization, the section is relatively short and does not have explicit subsections. While it covers the main points related to mental health in sports, breaking it down into subsections that address different aspects of the topic could improve the overall organization. There are no noticeable grammatical or spelling errors either.

Overall Impression:

Strengths of the article section include its relevance to the topic of mental health in sports and the acknowledgment of the role mental health plays in an athlete's performance. The article presents a balanced view of the topic without favoring a particular position. The tone is generally neutral, and the writing is concise and clear. However, there are notable areas for improvement. While the section includes two citations, the first source is from 2016, which may not reflect the most up-to-date information. It is recommended to include more current and reliable sources, such as the peer-reviewed article published in 2023 that was mentioned. The section is relatively short and lacks subsections to address different aspects of the topic. Expanding on the prevalence of mental health issues in sports, how athletes seek help, and the impact of sports participation itself would improve the article.