Psychological safety has increasingly been linked to mental health in elite sports contexts. However, there has been very little discussion or evidence as to how this actually occurs.

We propose a theoretically informed model of how psychologically safe environments might lead to increased help-seeking and better mental health outcomes. Specifically, this may occur when individuals feel safe to show their authentic self, perceive their environment to support mental health needs, and psychological harms are minimised throughout the organisation or team.

This is the first conceptualisation of how psychological safety in elite sport may contribute to enhanced mental health outcomes. The model is testable, and further studies are now necessary to support or adapt the different processes we outline.