# Progress and Prospects of Research on the Impact of Mental Health of Youth Sailors—A Bibliometric-Based Analysis

## TL;DR

This study analyzes scientific literature to understand trends and key contributors in research on the mental health of young sailors.

## Contribution

The paper is the first to focus specifically on mental health research among youth sailors using bibliometric analysis.

## Key findings

- Depression, anxiety, and mental health disorders are the main focus areas in youth sailor mental health research.
- Rosemary Purcell is the most influential author in this field.
- Australia, the USA, Canada, China, and England are leading regions in this research.

## Abstract

Background: The mental health of youth sailors has garnered increasing attention from both coaches and researchers, as evidenced by the growing appearance of related keywords in scientific literature. Despite this rising interest, no studies have yet specifically focused on the mental health of this population. Methods: This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of 315 articles retrieved from the Web of Science database. These articles were analyzed to identify trends, influential authors, institutions, and regions in the field of youth sailor mental health. Results: The analysis yielded several key findings: (1) Depression, anxiety, and mental health disorders are the primary areas of focus in the literature on youth sailors’ mental health; (2) Rosemary Purcell is identified as the most influential author in this domain; (3) the University of Melbourne, Orygen, and Deakin University are the top three contributing institutions; (4) Australia, the USA, Canada, China, and England are the five most prominent regions involved in this research. Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive overview of current research on the mental health of young sailors. By emphasising the most influential contributors and research trends, it aims to raise awareness amongst coaches and researchers, eventually supporting efforts to improve the mental health of young sailors.