skill training and arousal regulation: Flashcards
reading 7
Define psychological skills training and describe the myths surrounding it.
Psychological skills training refers to learning to systematically and consistently practice mental or psychological skills for the purpose of enhancing performance, increasing enjoyment, or achieving greater sport and physical activity self-satisfaction. As with physical skills, psychological skills, such as maintaining and focusing concentration, regulating arousal levels, enhancing confidence, and maintaining motivation, require systematic practice and refinement. A number of myths (not grounded in fact or empirical data) have developed regarding the use of PST. Some of these myths are that (a) PST is only for problem athletes, (b) PST is only for elite athletes, and (c) PST provides “quick fix” solutions to complex problems.
Identify the knowledge base for psychological skills training.
The knowledge base for PST has developed from two principal sources: research studies and practical experience. Original research studies have been conducted with athletes who demonstrate superior psychological skills (compared with athletes who perform less successfully). The second source relates to coaches and athletes whose sport experience has convinced them of the importance of psychological skills in maximizing performance and has convinced them that these skills should be integrated into athletes’ daily training regimens.
Discuss mental toughness and how to build it.
Most coaches and athletes view mental toughness as a crucial prerequisite of athletic success. A number of different definitions of mental toughness have been put forth in the literature, but they all highlight some psychological attributes that that make up mental toughness. Mental toughness has been shown to be dispositional in nature but also has been shown to be state-like, changing somewhat based on the situational constraints. Research on how to build mental toughness has revealed that sometimes it is “taught” (mental skills training) and sometimes it is “caught” (just circumstantial). Building mental toughness especially focuses on hard and intense practices but at the same time positive and supporting. Although mental toughness is generally seen as positive there can be a dark side where athletes might want to show mental toughness when they are injured and play when they should be resting.
Discuss three phases of psychological skills training programs.
Although PST programs take many forms to fit participant needs, programs generally follow a set structure with three distinct phases: education (learning the importance of PST), acquisition (learning the mental skills), and practice (using the mental skills during training—before using them in competition).
Examine the process of psychological self-regulation.
The ability to work toward one’s short- and long-term goals by effectively monitoring and managing one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours is termed self-regulation and is the ultimate goal of PST. The process of self-regulation consists of five stages: problem identification, commitment, execution, environmental management, and generalization. This model should be used to guide PST efforts.
Develop a psychological skills training program.
A first step is to conduct a psychological needs assessment to determine the specific components of a PST program. The program should be tailored to an individual’s specific personality, situation, and needs. The initial PST program should last 3 to 6 months and should start during the preseason or off-season. There are advantages to having an SPC implement a PST program, but it’s also possible for a coach or other trained personnel to conduct the program.
Discuss the development and display of expertise.
Experts and nonexperts display definitive differences in their mental and perceptual abilities. Generally, athletes and other skilled professionals need to have near 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to reach the highest levels of performance. This expertise is also sport specific. Seven principles make deliberate practice most effective: established training techniques, existing skills as building blocks, pushing the envelope, enhancing mental representations, responding to feedback, total application and focus, and specific goals.
Discuss other alternative mental training programs to psychological skills.
Several mental training programs have been developed to complement and supplement PST. They use different combinations of mental skills to enhance athletic performance. They include Pure Performance: An Integrated Approach to Performance Excellence, Mental FITness for Performance Excellence, P.A.C.E. sport psychology model, and 5 Rs as a between-execution routine.
Understand the problems of implementing a psychological skills training program.
There are several potential problems to be aware of when you are implementing PST programs. These include an athlete’s lack of conviction, perceived lack of time for the training program, lack of sport-specific knowledge (when a program is administered by an SPC), and lack of follow-up and evaluation.
Understand how to increase self-awareness of arousal states.
The first step toward controlling arousal levels is for athletes to become aware of the situations in competitive sport that cause them anxiety and of how they respond to these events. To do this, athletes can be asked to think back to their best and worst performances and then recall their feelings at those times. In addition, it is helpful to use a checklist to monitor feelings during practices and competitions.
Identify somatic, cognitive, and multimodal anxiety reduction techniques.
Several techniques have been developed to reduce anxiety in sport and exercise settings. The ones used most often to cope with somatic anxiety are progressive relaxation, breath control, and biofeedback. The most prevalent cognitive anxiety reduction techniques include the relaxation response and autogenic training. Two multimodal anxiety management packages that use a variety of techniques are cognitive–affective stress management and stress inoculation training. In addition, pressure training has been employed by coaches to put athletes in stressful situations and help them learn how to cope with the pressure of competition. Finally, hypnosis has received more recent attention as an anxiety reduction technique as well as a method of improving other mental skills.
Identify coping strategies for dealing with competitive stress.
The two major categories of coping are problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping strategies, such as goal setting or time management, involve efforts to alter or manage the problem that is causing stress. Emotion-focused coping involves regulating the emotional responses to the problem causing the stress. Having an array of coping strategies allows athletes to effectively cope with unforeseen events in a competition.
Describe on-site relaxation tips for reducing anxiety.
In addition to several well-developed and carefully structured techniques, on-site techniques can help sport and exercise participants cope with feelings of anxiety. These on-site techniques usually involve having participants remember that they are out there to have fun and enjoy the experience.
Understand the matching hypothesis.
The matching hypothesis states that anxiety management techniques should be matched to the particular anxiety problem. That is, cognitive anxiety should be treated with mental relaxation, and somatic anxiety should be treated with physical relaxation.
Identify techniques for raising arousal for competition.
Sometimes energy levels need to be raised. Increased breathing, imagery, music, positive self-statements, and simply acting energized can all help increase arousal. The ability to regulate your arousal level is indeed a skill. To perfect that skill you need to systematically practice arousal regulation techniques, integrating them into your regular physical practice sessions whenever possible.
