The International Society for Sports Psychiatry

March 29, 2026 - ISSP Virtual Annual Meeting and Organizational Updates

The ISSP is pleased to announce that the virtual annual meeting will be held on Saturday June 20 between 9:30am-12:30pm ET (to maximize attendance opportunities across all time zones for our international members). The meeting will include a keynote speaker (TBA), organizational updates, international spotlights, ISSP certificate recognition, committee updates, and the Scientific Symposium (details below). The link will be provided to ISSP members who have paid their annual membership dues (in addition to medical students). Kindly ensure that your membership dues are paid prior to June 15^th in order to receive the link. Please let me know if you are having difficulty renewing your membership (email edwardcd@mcmaster.ca).

ISSP Annual Meeting Scientific Symposium: call for abstracts

Present your work at ISSP Annual Meeting this year! We are pleased to invite members in good standing who have paid their annual dues to submit an abstract by April 30 for consideration for the ISSP Annual Meeting Scientific Symposium to malte.claussen@bli.uzh.ch.

The Abstracts will be published together with the ISSP Annual Meeting Report in Sports Psychiatry - Journal of Sports and Exercise Psychiatry.

Abstract guidelines:

·       Abstracts structure: (i) Introduction; (ii) Methods; (iii) Results; (iv) Conclusion

·       Abstract length: 250 - 350 words

·       max. 1 table / figure

·       max. 10 references

·       Citation style: Vancouver 

Only abstracts that comply with the guidelines will be considered.

In person meeting opportunities

1.        4^th International Conference on Sports Psychiatry: May 8-9, Bern, Switzerland: The ICSP is one of the leading international events in the field of sports psychiatry, providing a platform for clinical and scientific exchange on sports, exercise, and mental health. 

2.        APA May 16-20, San Francisco: Check the program for sports psychiatry content! As a next step in expanding the reach of sports psychiatry, the International Society for Sports Psychiatry is excited to collaborate with the American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry on Mental Edge: AI, Sports, and the Future of Psychiatry, an event taking place during the APA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

This two-panel event brings together leaders across sports psychiatry and technology to explore how our field is evolving. Panel Two, Advancing Sports Psychiatry: Collaborative Leadership, Certification, and the Future of the Field, features Dr. Pamela Weatherbee, ISSP Outreach Committee cochair and Board Member, along with other leading sports psychiatrists from key organizations working together to shape training pathways, certification standards, and professional community within sports psychiatry.

Event Details:

• Saturday, May 16
• 4:30–6:30 PM
• San Francisco Marriott Marquis

Join us for an engaging, forward-looking discussion alongside colleagues invested in the growth of sports psychiatry.

Tickets: $25 (includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and one drink ticket)

Reserve your spot here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mental-edge-ai-sports-and-the-future-of-psychiatry-tickets-1984142557802

3.        PROMISE August 17-18, Colorado Springs: The premier conference featuring cutting-edge advances in research, policy, and clinical sports psychiatry. The inaugural conference in Scotland last year drew roughly 25 ISSP members, and we are hoping for even more this year! With presentations from 8 ISSP members (1/3 of all presenters!) in addition to opportunities for poster and abstract presentations, this conference is a great place to meet colleagues and network with other sport mental health professionals. Opportunities for an in-person meeting for ISSP members is being explored. 

We appreciate your commitment to this incredible field and look forward to continuing to grow with you.

Thank you,

Carla Edwards, MD

ISSP President