Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism and Mental Health Difficulties

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Brief description of Mental Health Difficulties

The term mental health describes a sense of well being. It implies the capacity to live in a resourceful and fulfilling manner, having the resilience to deal with the challenges and obstacles that life and studying present.

Depression, stress and anxiety are the most common types of mental illness experienced by students, and it is common for students to lack confidence and have low self-esteem despite having the same full range of intellectual abilities as the population as a whole.

Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism and Students with Mental Health Difficulties

Sports Practical / Coaching and Mental Health Issues

Sport and recreation can play a huge part in the physical and mental well-being of people with mental health difficulties. "Practically all the major games and sports can be played with success by people with mental health difficulties, provided the required skills are sufficiently mastered and the appropriate adaptations are made. It is important for the teacher / coach to know the up-to-date rules of any game and sport that is to be taught, since the ultimate aim is to play the game to the official rules. However, players with mental health difficulties should never be thrust into an activity or game before they are ready for it - ready mentally as well as physically, socially and emotionally." (Latto and Norrice, 1989).

Games and sports can be valuable because they:

train dexterity and co-ordination, particularly of the hand and eye.
develop the necessary skills which serve as training for all games and sports such as football, netball, unihoc, athletics, badminton, bowls, etc.
channel excess energy into purposeful skills and provide an outlet for repressed emotions.
stimulate the less active to do more.
help to develop alertness, perseverance, self-control, optimism, courage and confidence.
increase the will and the ability to play to the rules, to be a good loser and to co-operate with others.
create opportunities for competition of various types.
give the players responsibilities, e.g. helping with the organisation and care of equipment, leading a team, training them to take care of their own personal sportswear.

Prior to planning a games session, it may be worth considering:

the physical and mental abilities, likes and dislikes and the difficulties of the group of players.
the facilities - indoor and outdoor - the size and type of the surface and the nature of the playing space.
what equipment is available and is it safe and in good repair?
any hazards, e.g. low ceiling lights, glass windows, unstacked chairs and outdoor obstructions such as trees, posts and broken glass.
the play area and the markings within it - the dimensions will naturally influence the number of players taking part and the type of equipment being used.
the playing area must be contained and be clear of obstacles if ballgames are to be played. If the ball is lost under obstacles, the game stops and the aim of continuous activity is defeated.

This information is taken from the Staffordshire University Strand 2 project SIDE-STeP (Staffordshire Inclusive Disability Education - Sport TEaching Practice) http://crwnpro2.staffs.ac.uk/sidestep/

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Teaching strategies associated with Mental Health Difficulties

These strategies are suggestions for inclusive teaching. This list should not be considered exhaustive and it is important to remember that all students are individuals and good practice for one student may not necessarily be good practice for another. You may also like to contact the Disability Specialist in your institution for further information. If you have any good practice that you would like to add to this list, please email your suggestions to z.morton-jones@worc.ac.uk

Provide sufficient time to discuss needs with the student before/during their initial teaching session.
Stress from new situations or pressure (especially for those who are away from home for the first time) may adversely affect people. Students should be made to feel welcome, at ease and confident. It may take time for students to settle into new situations, develop confidence and demonstrate abilities to the full. Allowances may need to be made for this.
People with mental health difficulties may have experienced rejection by those who have not understood their needs. Establishing a good relationship with plenty of encouragement can prove extremely helpful. Aim to discuss the matter as fully as possible with the individual student in order to discover what situations they feel most comfortable and able to deal with.
Students can sometimes be withdrawn or disruptive due to lack of understanding of tasks, or a feeling of inadequacy to demands. Being aware of this possibility allows tutors to intercede and attempt to break the cycle of failure.
Students may be forced to miss lectures of tutorials as a result of their difficulties. Tutors can help by assisting students to keep up with course materials, ensuring that they receive back copies of handouts/lecture notes.
If students are able to work for only limited amounts of time, allow extensions for submission of assignments taking care to monitor the student to ensure they are not building up a large backlog of work.
Help students to manage their time and organise work; breaking tasks down into manageable chunks.
Assessment, particularly formal assessments such as assignments and examinations can be very stressful students, this may lead to a below standard performance. Practice and reassurance can help students to overcome this.
Some students may need access to a personal counsellor and may need to be encouraged to seek this help.
Occasionally, students on medication may experience side effects such as drowsiness. Be aware of this if performance is affected