Abstract:
Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is a recently emerging concept that has piqued
research interest and investigations in clinical psychology. While mental
health and the self-help industry is equally booming with researches aimed at
alleviating mental illnesses. This study sought to profile the PsyCap and
mental health of all 51 registered football coaches in the Ghana Premier
League with the PsyCap questionnaire (short form) and Keye‘s Mental Health
Continuum Questionnaire. The study adopted a mixed methodology
(embedded design) to explore on one hand, the predictive value of PsyCap on
the mental health of this highly stressed population and on the other hand,
investigate behaviours that elite coaches intentionally engaged in and believed
attributed to their flourishing state of mental health. It was found that football
coaches possess exceptional levels of mental health and PsyCap. The study
found a significant predictive value of PsyCap on the mental health of football
coaches. The study also identified music, meditation, religion and religious
activity, social and professional support, exercise and physical activity,
positive affirmations and attributes, relaxation and nature, and work life
balance as protective factors that shielded football coaches from the stressors
of their job. The study concluded that given the evidence of the presence of
PsyCap and mental health in a population once thought to undergo a lot of
stress, intentional healthy behaviours can help people thrive, but with a low
predictive value obtained from the regression analysis, the study recommends
that a larger sample be used and other factors that may affect the relationship
be explored
