Chapter 12: Introduction to Psychological Skills Training

Question 1

Psychological Skills Training

Answer 1

the systematic and consistent practice of mental or psychological skills for the purpose of enhancing performance, increasing enjoyment, or achieving greater self-satisfaction
can have major effects on performance (mental, physical, and environmental)

Question 2

Mental toughness

Answer 2

athlete’s ability to focus, rebound from failure, cope with pressure, and persist in the face of adversity
form of mental resilience

Question 3

What characteristics does a mentally tough athlete have?

Answer 3

high sense of self-belief and an unshakeable faith that they can control their own destiny
remain relatively unaffected by competition or adversity

Question 4

What constructs make up mental toughness?

Answer 4

motivation, dealing with pressure, confidence, and concentration

Question 5

Mental toughness is used…

Answer 5

before, during and after competition

Question 6

What is the 4C (technically 5C) model of mental toughness?

Answer 6

control - handling many things at once and remaining influential rather than controlled (controlling the controllable)
commitment - being deeply involved with pursuing goals despite difficulties
challenge - perceiving potential threats as opportunities for personal growth and thriving in constantly changing environments
confidence - maintaining self-believe in spite of setbacks
consistent (Rick’s 5th C) - both moods and outcomes are stable

Question 7

What factors do not deliberately teach mental toughness?

Answer 7

sibling rivalries, supportive parents, coach expectations, motivational training environment, teammate encouragement, tough practices, coping with failure

Question 8

What factors do deliberately teach mental toughness?

Answer 8

creating positive motivational practice environment, intense competitive practices, creating simulations (pressure), setting specific goals, providing instructional and supportive feedback, building confidence through rigorous physical preparation and conditioning, enhancing attentional control through self-statements, making appropriate attributions for success and failure

Question 9

What are the negative aspects of mental toughness?

Answer 9

can lead to injury or overtraining
may also avoid seeking mental health counselling (may need major intervention)

Question 10

What model does mental toughness follow?

Answer 10

follows catastrophe model
ie. optimal point of mental toughness, but go too far and can hinder athlete performance and health

Question 11

Why are psychological skills neglected?

Answer 11

lack of knowledge and comfort with teaching mental skills
misunderstanding about psychological skills
perceived lack of time
old school coaching

Question 12

PST Myths

Answer 12

for problem athletes only
for elite training only
provides quick-fix solutions
is not useful

Question 13

Keys to understanding PST

Answer 13

users must be realistic in their expectations - it’s neither a magical elixir nor useless bunk
psychological skills can be learned but must be practiced and integrated into a person’s daily routine

Question 14

Most useful PST topics identified by athletes and coaches…

Answer 14

arousal regulation, imagery and mental preparation, confidence building, increased motivation and commitment (goal setting), attention or concentration, self-talk, mental plans, imagery, reflection and journaling

Question 15

How do most successful athletes differ from less successful athletes (based on research)?

Answer 15

they have higher confidence, greater self-regulation of arousal, better communication, more positive thoughts and images, and more determination or commitment

Question 16

Effectiveness of PST

Answer 16

educationally based PST enhances sport performance
intervention must be individualized, employed systematically over time, and multimodal (combining different psychological skills such as imagery, self-talk, and goal setting)

Question 17

What are the three phases of PST?

Answer 17

Education phase, acquisition phase, and practice (utilization) phase

Question 18

Education phase

Answer 18

psychological skills need to be taught and learned
participants must recognize how important it is to acquire PST and how the skills affect performance
increasing awareness of mental skills

Question 19

Acquisition phase

Answer 19

focus on strategies and techniques (proactive and reactive)
tailoring programs to meet individual needs
provide general information to the group or team, but be specific when developing an individual’s PST program
psychological skills be learned and practiced

Question 20

Practice/utilization phase

Answer 20

learning psychological skills should progress from practices and simulations to actual competitions
focus is on automating skills through over learning, integrating psychological skills, and simulating the skills you want to apply pre, during, and post actual competitions

Question 21

What are the guiding principles for mental training?

Answer 21

1) Mental training can’t replace physical training
2) Physical training and physical ability are not enough to succeed consistently
3) A strong mind may not win an Olympic medal, but a weak mind will lose one
4) Coaches frequently don’t know what their athletes are thinking
5) Thoughts affect behaviours
6) Coaches have varying views of changing technical mistakes vs mental mistakes
7) Coaches must be involved in the mental training process
8) Sometimes it is OK to force athletes to take the time to do mental training
9) Like any other skill, mental skills need to be measured in order to maximize performance of these skills
10) Coaches need to think about their own mental skills

Question 22

What are some common problems when implementing a PST program?

Answer 22

lack of conviction
lack of time
lack of knowledge of sport
lack of follow-up
need to be consistent and controlled (involves effort and time)

Question 23

What are the nine mental skills for successful athletes that Jack Lysick suggests?

Answer 23

1) Choose and maintain a positive attitude
2) Maintain high level of self-motivation
3) Set high, realistic goals
4) Deal effectively with people
5) Use positive self-talk
6) Use positive mental imagery
7) Manage anxiety effectively
8) Manage their emotions effectively
9) Maintain concentration

Question 24

Lesyk’s model

Answer 24

Level 1 Basic Skills: people skills, goals and commitment, motivation, and attitude
Level 2 Preparatory Skills: mental imagery, self-talk
Level 3 Performance Skills: concentration, managing emotion, managing anxiety