Arousal Regulation

Question 1

What is the first step in becoming more self-aware of arousal levels?

Answer 1

Become more conscious of them during practices and competition.

Entails self-monitoring and identifying how emotional states influence performance through Checklist of Performance States and documenting thoughts and feelings

Question 2

What are the 2 steps in the process of raising arousal awareness?

Answer 2

1. Consider your best performance- visualize the competition as vividly as possible based on how you felt and thought at the moment. Spend at least 5 minutes reliving that experience.

Complete the elements on the Checklist of Performance States reconstructing your best results. Circle 1 for extremely well, if anxious circle a higher number 2-6. Compare numbers to a good vs. bad performance

Question 3

What are the criteria on the Checklist of Performance States?

Answer 3

Played well
Relaxation
Confidence
Complete control
Relaxed muscles
Positive self-talk
Energetic
Focused
Effortless feeling
High energy

Question 4

Excessive anxiety can cause unnecessary

Answer 4

Muscle tension and negative thoughts and cognitions such as “I hope I don’t miss this shot” or “I hope I do not fail in front of all these people.”

Question 5

What is a false commonly held belief about trying hard?

Answer 5

The harder you work, the better you will get.

Question 6

Anxiety management techniques are aimed to reduce

Answer 6

Somatic and cognitive anxiety or both

Question 7

Somatic anxiety reduction techniques aim to

Answer 7

Minimize physiological arousal

Question 8

What are some somatic anxiety techniques?

Answer 8

Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Breath control
Biofeedback

Question 9

What is progressive muscle relaxation?

Answer 9

Tensing and relaxing specific muscles

Question 10

What is breath control?

Answer 10

Smooth, deep, and rhythmic while you are relaxed, confident, and in control.

When you are stressed and under pressure, breathing is short, shallow, and erratic.

Question 11

What is biofeedback?

Answer 11

A physically based approach that shows people how to regulate physiological or autonomic responses. This process uses an electronic device that can track and amplify internal responses we are not aware of.

Question 12

Cognitive Anxiety reduction aims to

Answer 12

Relax the mind

Question 13

Cognitive relaxation the basic elements of

Answer 13

Meditation, helps athletes prepare for competitions by improving their ability to calm, focus, and become more energized.

Question 14

What are the 4 elements for the relaxation response?

Answer 14

A quiet area where noise is minimal
Relaxed spot where you can stay for a long time
Words that do not stimulate thoughts such as relax or calm.
If something comes to your mind, let it go and return your focus on the word. Do not care how many times your mind wanders.

Question 15

What is Autogenic Training?

Answer 15

Collection of exercises that produce sensations, most notably warmth and haviness.

Question 16

Where was Autogenic Training used? Where and who was it developed by?

Answer 16

Used extensively in Europe, the training was developed in Germany in the early 1930s by Johannes Schultz and later refined by Schultz and Luthe (1969)

Question 17

What are the 6 levels of Autogenic Training?

Answer 17

Heaviness in extremities
Warmth in extremities
Regulation of cardiac activity
Breathing regulation
Abdominal warmth
Cooling of the forehead

Question 18

What is systematic desensitization?

Answer 18

Cognitive relaxation approach, anxious individuals have learned by classical conditioning to have excessively high levels of anxiety, manifested by the autonomic nervous system increases such as the increase in HR and BP.

Treatment aims to replace this nervous activity with a competing behavior.

Question 19

What are multimodal anxiety reduction techniques?

Answer 19

Lower cognitive and somatic anxiety while also providing structured strategies for practicing coping techniques under simulated stressful circumstances.

Question 20

What are the 2 most popular Multimodal anxiety reduction approaches?

Answer 20

Comprehensive Stress Management Training

Stress Inoculation Training

Question 21

What is Comprehensive Stress Management?

Answer 21

Skills program that teaches individuals a particularly integrated coping response that uses relaxation and cognitive elements to regulate emotional arousal.

Question 22

What are the five phases of Comprehensive Stress Management?

Answer 22

Pre-treatment assessment
Treatment Rationale
Skill Acquisition
Skill Rehearsal
Post Training Evaluation

Question 23

What is pre-assessment training?

Answer 23

A psychologist performs personal interviews to determine the types of situations that cause stress, the player’s response to stress, and how stress influences performance and other behavior.

Question 24

What is the pre-assessment training treatment rationale?

Answer 24

Aims to assist the athlete in understanding his stress response by analyzing personal stress reactions and experiences.

Question 25

What is Skill Acquisition?

Answer 25

Undergo progressive muscle relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and self-instruction.

Question 26

What is Skill Rehearsal?

Answer 26

To aid in the rehearsal process, the consultant purposefully prompts various degrees of stress with imagery, rehearsal for stressful activities, and other physical and psychological stress.

Question 27

What is cognitive restructuring?

Answer 27

The effort to recognize irrational stress-inducing statements, linked to fear of failure and rejection

Ex I know I’ll screw up, I couldn’t stand to let my teammates and coaches down.

Question 28

What is Post Training Evaluation?

Answer 28

The expert assesses the efficiency of the program using several metrics, including athlete’s monitoring of emotional stages and cognitive events, performance measures that may improve with stress reduction, and standardized trait and state anxiety interventions

Question 29

What is Stress Inoculation Training?

Answer 29

Most popular multifaceted stress management techniques are used both in and out of the sports world. Stress Inoculation Training is successful in lowering anxiety improving performance in sports conditions, and assisting athletes in dealing with the stress of injury

Question 30

What are the 4 stages of Stress Inoculation Training?

Answer 30

Getting ready for the stressor-Tough, keep cool
Controlling and dealing with the stressor-Focused on task
Coping with feeling overwhelmed- what do I have to do next?
Evaluate coping efforts- You handle yourself well.

Question 31

Main benefit of Stress Inoculation Training

Answer 31

Allows athletes to practice their coping skills, beginning with a small manageable stress levels and progressing to greater stress levels

Question 32

Why are Stress Inoculation Training and Stress Management training effective?

Answer 32

Use a staged approach and techniques such as self-talk, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation.

Question 33

What are some tips on coping with stress?

Answer 33

Smile even when you feel the tension coming on- simple and effective, puts things into perspective, allowing you to forget about the stress and enjoy the competition

Have fun, enjoy the situation- athletes who are highly skilled convey a spirit of pleasure and fun. Most of them look forward to it even with the pressure

Set up stressful situations in practice- practice under simulated pressure is beneficial in preparing for real life. Some coaches have some players boo at the other players to get a sense of what it is like to play with a hostile crowd.

Slow down and take your time- when athletes are angry, they go to quickly

Stay focused on the present Come prepared with a good game plan to generate great decision making

Question 34

What are the signs of understimulation?

Answer 34

Moving slowly and not having settled
Wondering thoughts, becoming easily distracted
Lack of concern on performance
Lack of excitement or expectation
Legs feeling heavy

Question 35

What are tips for increasing energy and activating your system?

Answer 35

Increase breathing rate-controlling one’s breathing and focusing one’s attention will provide energy and reduce stress

Short, deep breaths activates the nervous system

Act energized- jump rope

Use mood words and positive statements. The subconscious influences the system. Mood terms like tough and strong are energizing and engaging. Positive statements may include, Hang in there and I can do it.

Yelling and shouting- kinap technique

Listen to music- boost energy before a competition, music decreases effort perception

Use energizing imagery such as a cheetah 4-10 hour before event