Introduction to Psychological Skills Training

Question 1

what are the Two Objectives of Sport and Exercise Psychology?

Answer 1

1) To understand how psychological factors affect an individual’s physical performance

2) To understand how participation in sport and exercise affects a person’s psychological development, health, and well-being

Question 2

Define Psychological Skills Training ?

Answer 2

• PST refers to the systematic and consistent practice of mental or psychological skills for the purpose of enhancing performance, increasing enjoyment, or achieving greater self-satisfaction.
• PST methods and techniques come from a variety of sources, primarily from mainstream psychology.

Question 3

What are some Psychological Skills Training methods?

Answer 3

Behavior modification
Cognitive therapy
Rational emotive therapy
Goal setting
Attentional control
Progressive muscle relaxation
Systematic desensitization

Question 4

what are the guidelines for Psychological Skills Training?

Answer 4

Maintaining and focusing concentration

Regulating arousal levels

Enhancing confidence

Maintaining motivation

Question 5

How does mental toughness effect PST?

Answer 5

• Research reports athletes believe psychological factors primarily account for day-to-day fluctuations in performance.
• The importance of mental skills is seen in the highly valued attribute of mental toughness.
• Olympic athletes perceive mental toughness as a crucial prerequisite of athletic success.
• This is an athlete’s ability to focus, ability to rebound from failure, ability to cope with pressure, determination to persist in the face of adversity, and mental resilience.
• Psychological skills training targets building and developing these mental skills.
• Despite the known benefits, traditionally, athletes spend little time training and practising psychological skills.

Question 6

Why Psychological Skills Are Neglected?

Answer 6

Lack of knowledge and comfort with mental skills

Misunderstandings about psychological skills

Lack of time

Lack of access to support

Question 7

How does elite athletes differ from less successful one?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

what are Common Mental Skills and Qualities Discussed in Research?

Answer 8

Resilience
Imagery
Concentration
Mindfulness
Relaxation
Goal setting

Question 9

is PST effective?

Answer 9

• Educationally-based PST enhances sport performance in collegiate and adult athletes.
• Both psychological and psychosocial interventions enhance sport performance.
• Interventions must be
• individualized,
• employed systematically over time, and
• multimodal (combining different psychological skills such as imagery, self-talk, and goal setting)
• The positive effects of PST can be greater when supported by a coach.

Question 10

what is the role of a coach in PST?

Answer 10

Observation
Targeted cuing of mental skills
Instructions to use mental skills
Reinforcing mental skill use
Providing explanations of mental skills
Seeking athlete involvement

Question 11

what are the Three Phases of PST?

Answer 11

Education phase
Acquisition phase
Practice phase

Question 12

what is the Education Phase?

Answer 12

• 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 (using a traffic light analogy)

Green light =
Flow
Yellow light =
Caution or refocus
Red light =
Real trouble and need for major coping

Question 13

what is the Acquisition Phase:?

Answer 13

Focus on strategies and techniques.

Tailor training programs to meet individual needs.

provide general information to the group or team but specific when developing an individuals PST program.

psychological skills should be learned and practiced.

people should expect improvement as they develop these skills and refine them over time.

Question 14

define the Practice Phase?

Answer 14

• Learning psychological skills should progress from practices and simulations to actual competitions.
• The primary aims of this phase are:

To automate skills through overlearning

To teach people to systematically integrate psychological skills into performance situations

To simulate skills people will want to apply in actual competition

Log books help athletes chart progress and provide feedback for improvement.

Question 15

Define Self-Regulation?

Answer 15

self regulation is the ability to work toward ones short and long term goals by effectively monitoring and managing ones thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Question 16

Define Kirschenbaum’s five-stage model of self-regulation?

Answer 16

Stage 1:
The ability to identify a problem, determine that change is possible and desirable and take responsibility for its solution.

Stage 2:
Committing to change and dealing with obstacles such as slow progress and the need for regular practice.

Stage 3:
Execution of skills to self-evaluate, self-monitor, develop appropriate expectancies, and self-reinforce as they learn to cope effectively under pressure.

Stage 4:
Planning and deriving strategies for managing the social and physical environment affecting the athlete.

Question 17

what are the stages to Developing and Implementing PST Programs?

Answer 17

Discuss your approach.

assess athletes mental skills

determine with psychological skills to include

design a schedule

evaluate the program

Question 18

what are the points to Assessing Athletes’ Mental Skills?

Answer 18

Assess strengths and weaknesses (either objectively or subjectively).

Use psychological assessment techniques (performance profiling, oral interviews, psychological inventories).

Consider the unique
demands of the sport.

Observe athletes competing and practicing.

Obtain the perspectives of other parties involved (e.g., coaches, athletic trainers).

Question 19

what points should you use when Determining Which Psychological Skills to Include?

Answer 19

Skills are qualities to be obtained (e.g., self-awareness, confidence).

Methods are procedures or techniques for developing psychological skills (e.g., arousal regulation, imagery, goal setting).

Question 20

define vealey mental skills model?

Answer 20

Foundation skills:
Intrapersonal resources that are the basic mental skills necessary for achieving success
Achievement drive
Self awareness
Productive thinking
Self-confidence

Performance skills:
Mental abilities critical to the execution of skills during sport performance
Energy management
Attentional focus
Perceptual-motor skill

Personal development skills
Mental skills that represent significant maturational markers of personal development, allowing for high-level psychological functioning through clarity of self-concept, feelings of well-being, and a sense of relatedness to others
Identity achievement
Interpersonal competence

Team skills
Collective qualities of the team that are instrumental to an effective team climate and overall team success
Leadership
Cohesion
Team confidence

Question 21

How do you determine a athletes schedule?

Answer 21

Hold frequent, shorter meetings rather than frequent, longer meetings.

Hold informal as well as formal meetings.

Whenever possible, begin PST before the season begins.

Systematically schedule PST as part of daily practice.

Periodization refers to planned variation in key training variables, particularly volume and intensity, over predetermined training cycles.

Systematic periodization has been proposed as a method for training mental skills through the preparatory, competitive, and peaking phases.

Question 22

What are the points when evaluating a PST program?

Answer 22

don’t overlook evaluation

practitioners have an ethical obligation to evaluate a programs effectiveness.

Use interview, written assessments, and objective performance measures to evaluate.

Question 23

what are the Problems in Implementing PST Programs?

Answer 23

Lack of conviction:
Psychologists often have to convince coaches and athlete that developing psychological skills will facilitate success.

Lack of time:
coaches frequently claim there isn’t enough time to practice mental skills. However, it is usually possible to find time if it is valued and considered a priority.

Lack of knowledge of sport:
Psychologists having personal experience playing or coaching sport can help them understand the challenges athletes experience, and use relatable sport jargon. Not essential.

Lack of follow-up:
Psychological skills must be practised in order to be used under pressure. Even if the initial implementation of PST is positive, the effectiveness is impacted if there is a lack of follow-up.