Introduction to Psychological Skills Training and Goal Setting Flashcards
Psychological skills training (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
Skills
Are qualities to be obtained (e.g., self-awareness, confidence)
Methods (or tools)
Are procedures or techniques for developing psychological skills (e.g., arousal regulation, imagery, goal setting).
Mental Toughness
Mental toughness is an athlete’s ability to focus, rebound from failure, cope with pressure, and persist in the face of adversity. It is a form of mental resilience
Four C Model of Mental Toughness
Control
Commitment
Challenge
Confidence
Control
Handling many things at once and
remaining influential rather than controlled.
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-belief in spite of setbacks.
Why Is PST Important?
Athletes feel that psychological factors primarily account for dayto-day fluctuations in performance.
◦ Brain controls the body
Traditionally, athletes spend little
time training and practicing
psychological skills.
Three Phases of PST
Educational phase
Acquisition phase
Practice phase
Educational phase
Psychological skills need to be taught and learned. Participants must recognise how important it is to acquire PST and how the skills affect performance.
Acquisition phase
◦ Focus on strategies and techniques.
◦ Tailor training 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 should be learned—and practiced.
Practice phase
◦ Learning psychological skills should progress from practices and simulations to actual competitions.
◦ This phase focuses on automating skills through repetition, integrating psychological skills, and simulating the skills you want to apply to actual competitions.
◦ Log books help athletes chart progress and provide feedback for improvement.
Self-regulation
The ability to work toward one’s short- and longterm goals by effectively monitoring and managing one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Krischenbaum’s 5 Stage Model of Self Regulation
Stage 1- Problem identification
Stage 2- Commitment
Stage 3- Execution
Stage 4- Environmental Management
Stage 5- Generalization
Who should conduct PST (sport psychologist or coach)?
◦ Both can do so as long as they recognize their limits.
◦ Recognise potential conflicts of interest.
When should you implement PST?
You should implement PST in the off-season when there is more time.
When is the best time in one’s career to engage in mental training?
Mental training should continue throughout an athlete’s sport participation.
Vealey (2007) Mental Skills
Model
Emphasises that multiple types of mental skills are important for success and well-being in coaches and athletes
Effective Sport Psychology Consultants
◦ Are accessible and can establish rapport with athletes
◦ Are flexible and knowledgeable enough to meet the needs of individual athletes
◦ Are likeable and have something very concrete or practical to offer
◦ Conduct several follow-up sessions with athletes throughout the season
◦ Are trustworthy and able to fit in with the team
Ineffective Sport Psychology
Consultants
◦ Have poor interpersonal skills
◦ Lack sensitivity to the needs of individual athletes
◦ Lack specific psychological knowledge to apply to the sport setting
◦ Demonstrate inappropriate application of consulting skills at competitions
◦ Rely on a “canned” approach when implementing psychological skills
Common Problems in Implementing a PST Program
- Lack of conviction
- Lack of time
- Lack of knowledge of sport
- Lack of follow-up
Subjective goals
General statements of intent such as having fun or doing your best
Objective goals
Attaining a specific standard of proficiency on a task, usually in a specified time
Outcome goals
Focus on a competitive result of an event (e.g., beating someone)
Goal-Setting Research
Meta-analyses (statistical reviews of the literature) show that goal setting works.
In sport and exercise psychology, goal setting has been shown to work well,
although not quite as well as it does in business
Direct mechanistic explanation: Goals
◦ direct attention to the important elements of the skill,
◦ mobilise performers’ efforts,
◦ prolong performers’ persistence, and
◦ foster the development of new learning strategies.
Goals influence psychological states
Athletes who set performance (rather
than outcome) goals have less anxiety and more confidence and satisfaction
Hope
Hope involves the thinking process whereby people have an overall perception that goals can be met and the skills to go about achieving those goals.
People high in hope have a sense of goal-directed determination or agency and
planning of ways to meet goals or labeled pathways.
Trait and state measures of hope have been found to correlate to psychological adjustment, achievement, problem solving, and health.
Hope-Based Power 4W Goal-Setting System
Wish power: Identifying dream goals
Want power: Realistic short- and long-term goals that lead to one’s dream goal
Way power: Developing multiple plans and strategies for achieving one’s goals
Will power: The determination and discipline required for working toward goals and overcoming obstacles that arise while achieving them
Group Goals
The future state of affairs desired by enough members of a group to work toward its achievement
Attaining specific standards of group proficiency, usually within a specified time
