bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Christian-Athlete: An Interactionist-Developmental Analysis
Authors: Stevenson Christopher L.
Published: August 2016

This investigation examined the ways in which, and the rationalizations with which, certain elite athletes juxtaposed the two role-identities of “Christian” and “athlete.” The data were obtained through in-depth interviews with current and former college and professional athletes associated with the Athletes-in-Action (AIA) organization in Western Canada (N=31: 23 males, 8 females). Initial analysis indicated considerable variability in the types of behavior that the athletes, as Christians, saw as acceptable in their sport environments, and yet the majority of these Christian-athletes did not appear to perceive any values-conflict between their Christian faith and their sporting practices. A more detailed examination using both a developmental and an interactionist perspective identified three more or less distinct types of accommodation to the normative expectations associated with the two role-identities (the segregated, selective, and committed types), each of which was associated with different consequences for the athletes’ own behaviors in sport, the values and attitudes they expressed, and the kinds of behaviors they perceived to be acceptable for Christian-athletes.
Teaching “Sport and Society”: Problems and Consequences
Authors: Eitzen D. Stanley , Hyatt-Hearn Susan
Published: August 2016

This is a case study of the consequences of a “sport and society” course for students. Data from a pretest and posttest of one class in sport and society suggest that students changed in “desired” directions. At the conclusion of the course they tend to adopt the sociological perspective, as indicated by a greater probability of criticism rather than the acceptance of societal arrangements, a greater willingness to change social structures, and a greater tendency to consider society rather than individuals as the cause of social problems. Students also became less sexist, and the posttest indicated that the course challenged conventional wisdom and thus demythologized the social reality of sport. Since this study was of one class, the results are tentative. The paper concludes with suggestions for further study.
“Ma, There’s a Helicopter on the Pitch!” Sport, Leisure, and the State in Northern Ireland
Authors: Sugden John , Bairner Alan
Published: August 2016

The political crisis in Northern Ireland has been met with a wide range of responses from the British state. Apart from a manifest increase in its coercive powers, in an attempt to maintain hegemonic supremacy there have been state sponsored initiatives directed toward penetrating and influencing various aspects of the Province’s popular culture. Because of the close relationship between sport, leisure, and the separate cultural traditions that underpin the political conflict, this area of popular culture has proven to be highly contested terrain. While traditional Marxist approaches to the study of superstructural formations have been greatly enhanced by the application of categories drawn from Gramsci’s political analysis, the Northern Ireland case reveals that Gramsci’s distinction between political and civil society is only useful so long as its application is flexible enough to accommodate the widest possible range of social divisions.
Getting There: Cultural Theory and the Sociological Analysis of Sport in Britain
Authors: Hargreaves John , Tomlinson Alan
Published: August 2016

In this paper we offer a rejoinder to MacAloon’s arguments in his article, “The Ethnographic Imperative in Comparative Olympic Research,” and briefly situate the other contributions in this theme issue of Sociology of Sport Journal. We argue that while MacAloon’s polemic against the so-called “cultural studies” approach raises important issues, notably the need for more soundly based empirical work, his characterization is misconceived, and that what he presents as an alternative is neither theoretically clear nor empirically well founded. We suggest that the contributions in this volume provide a better guide to the quality of current work in the sociological analysis of sport in Britain than does MacAloon’s characterization of the so-called cultural studies approach.
English/Freneh Canadian Differences in Sport Participation: Comment on White and Curtis
Authors: McAll Christopher
Published: August 2016

This paper questions both the validity of the “value-differences thesis” put forward by White and Curtis as an explanation for differences in sport participation on the part of Canadian Anglophones and Francophones, and the inference of these authors that such hypothetical value-differences may better explain historical and contemporary inequalities between the two language groups than the alternative “conquest and discrimination” model. It is suggested that White and Curtis’ argument only stands up insofar as the discrimination model is not thoroughly discussed and tested. In particular the central role played by sports as a site in which social inequalities are structured and reinforced is not adequately taken into account by these authors.
Deep Fan: Mythic Identification, Technology, and Advertising in Spectator Sports
Authors: Real Michael R. , Mechikoff Robert A.
Published: August 2016

The relationship between the media sports fan and the sporting event closely parallels the position of the ritual participant acting out a mythic celebration. Such identification between the viewer/participant and the event has been characterized as “deep play” by Geertz (1973). However, this fan experience in the modem era is shaped not just by human face-to-face interaction, as was Geertz’s famous Balinese cockfight; instead, a specific media technology and commercial advertising provide the structure through which the public accesses media sports. This study examines grounded data on audience size and composition, advertising, commercial infrastructure and incentives, and other institutional aspects of the political economy of mass-mediated sport. What do cultural and ritual theory contribute to our understanding of the mass-mediated sports experience of today’s “deep fan”?
The Golf Boom in South Korea: Serving Hegemonic Interests
Authors: An Minseok , Sage George H.
Published: August 2016

In the past decade, to help maintain political stability and promote economic growth, South Korea has committed substantial resources to commercialized sports, including golf. A major source of support for building golf courses has come from government leaders and economic and social incentives as well. In the past 4 years the government has given permission to build 135 new golf courses. The official government discourse about the new golf courses is that they are being built in the interest of “sport for all.” But the golf courses overwhelmingly require membership, which is extremely expensive. Despite the enormous power and resources of the dominant groups in Korea, there are elements of opposition. The golf boom has been severely criticized because it removes large amounts of land from agricultural and industrial productivity, contaminates farm land, and pollutes water. It also represents the worst aspects of the social imbalance of wealth.
Physical Activity Socialization: Peer Interactions and Affective Responses among a Sample of Sixth Grade Girls
Authors: Kunesh Monica A. , Hasbrook Cynthia A. , Lewthwaite Rebecca
Published: August 2016

Premised on an interactive socialization as construction and internalization approach, physical activity socialization experiences related to peer interactions and associated affective responses in physical activity settings were explored among eight 11- to 12-year-old girls. Three possible physical activity choices (formal sport, informal physical activity, and exercise) were considered. Three methods of data collection were employed: observation, sociometric evaluation, and interview. Physical activity socialization experiences were found to be context specific both in terms of activity type (formal sport, informal physical activity, and exercise) and social situation (home and school). Boys in physical education classes appeared to be the major source of negative peer treatment, primarily by criticizing girls’ physical skill performances and constructing them as subordinate to those of the boys. Positive or negative affective responses to peer treatment were reported to lead to the seeking or avoidance of future physical activity involvement. The type of attributions participants made for the negative treatment they received was related to their affective responses and subsequent desire to seek or avoid future activity.
The Sport Psychology Consultant: Analysis of Critical Components as Viewed by Canadian Olympic Athletes
Authors: Orlick Terry , Partington John
Published: August 2016

Intensive interviews were conducted with each of 75 Canadian Olympic athletes representing 19 different sports in order to evaluate the sport psychology services offered to them. Athletes representing 12 of the sports indicated they had worked with 1 of 11 sport psychology consultants in preparation for the 1984 Olympic Games. Some were highly satisfied with their consultant and his or her mental training program, others were highly dissatisfied. A profile of the best and worst consultants was developed based upon the athletes’ perceptions of desirable and undesirable consultant characteristics. Suggestions are provided for improving the quality of sport psychology services for elite athletes.
Management of the Athlete with an Eating Disorder: Implications for the Sport Management Team
Authors: Thompson Ron A.
Published: August 2016

While college women in general are at risk for anorexia nervosa and bulimia, these disorders may present more of a problem for the student-athlete due to her weight/body consciousness and the pressure associated with athletic competition at the college or university level. This paper discusses the physical and psychological characteristics of each disorder, their etiology, and how each affects the life and performance of the athlete. Recommendations are offered regarding the role of the sport management team (i.e., sport psychologist, team physician, coach, athletic trainer, exercise physiologist) in assisting the eating-disordered athlete.
Psychological Skills and Exceptional Athletic Performance
Authors: Mahoney Michael J. , Gabriel Tyler J. , Perkins T. Scott
Published: August 2016

To assess psychological skills relevant to exceptional athletic performance, a 51-item questionnaire was administered to a national sample of 713 male and female athletes from 23 sports. The athlete sample comprised 126 elite competitors, 141 preelite athletes, and 446 nonelite collegiate athletes. Sixteen leading sport psychologists also completed the questionnaire as they thought the ideal athlete might. Omnibus, individual item, discriminant, regression, factor, and cluster analyses all revealed significant differences among the athlete subsamples. The themes of concentration, anxiety management, self-confidence, mental preparation, and motivation were seen to have potential importance in skill-level differentiation, although age-difference confounds as well as gender and sport differences may have been involved. The ideal profile constructed by the sport psychologists generally paralleled the skill differences encountered, although the elite athletes did not report selected amplitudes in the profile.
Conditions That Facilitate the Development of Sport Imagery Training
Authors: Smith Dan
Published: August 2016

With the emergence of sport imagery training programs, sport psychologists need to understand the various conditions that have been found to facilitate imagery practice. This manuscript focuses on these conditions including vividness and controllability, practice, attitude and expectation, previous experience, relaxed attention, and internal versus external imagery. The summary synthesizes key points, advocating that these points be stressed in future sport imagery research and programs.
Sophistry, Socrates, and Sport Psychology
Authors: Corlett John
Published: August 2016

It is argued that knowledge of the traditions of Western philosophy can play a valuable role in applied sport psychology. A contrast between sophist and Socratic ideas from Athens of the 5th-century BC is used to demonstrate the contribution a sound philosophical foundation can make in professional practice. Sophists are technique driven and concerned solely with specific skills that produce successful performance results. Socratics, in contrast, encourage rigorous personal examination and improved knowledge of self as the only meaningful pathway to personal happiness. The application of each philosophy to counseling situations such as fear of failure and eating disorders is described, and the potential role of philosophy and the humanities in the education of sport psychologists is discussed.
What Are Confident Athletes Imaging?: An Examination of Image Content
Authors: Moritz Sandra E. , Hall Craig R. , Martin Kathleen A. , Vadocz Eva
Published: August 2016

Despite the advocacy of a confidence-enhancing function of mental imagery, the relationship between confidence and imagery has received little attention from sport researchers. The primary purpose of the present study was to identify the specific image content of confident athletes. Fifty-seven elite competitive rollerskaters completed the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised (MIQ-R), the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ), and the State Sport Confidence Inventory (SSCI). Results revealed that high sport-confident athletes used more mastery and arousal imagery, and had better kinesthetic and visual imagery ability than low sport-confident athletes did. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that mastery imagery accounted for the majority of variance in SSCI scores (20%). The results of this study suggest that when it comes to sport confidence, the imaged rehearsal of specific sport skills may not be as important as the imagery of sport-related mastery experiences and emotions.
Identity Foreclosure, Athletic Identity, and Career Maturity in Intercollegiate Athletes
Authors: Murphy Geraldine M. , Petitpas Albert J. , Brewer Britton W.
Published: August 2016

A study was conducted with 124 intercollegiate student-athletes at an NCAA Division I institution to examine the relationship between self-identity variables (i.e., identity foreclosure and athletic identity) and career maturity. Results indicated that both identity foreclosure and athletic identity were inversely related to career maturity. Significant effects of gender, playing status (varsity vs. nonvarsity), and sport (revenue producing vs. nonrevenue producing) on career maturity were observed. The findings suggest that failure to explore alternative roles and identifying strongly and exclusively with the athlete role are associated with delayed career development in intercollegiate student athletes, and that male varsity student-athletes in revenue-producing sports may be especially at risk for impaired acquisition of career decision-making skills. The results underscore the importance of understanding athletic identity issues and exercising caution in challenging sport-related occupational aspirations in presenting career development interventions to student-athletes.
Stress Sources Encountered When Rehabilitating from Season-Ending Ski Injuries
Authors: Gould Daniel , Bridges Dana , Udry Eileen , Beck Laurie
Published: August 2016

This study was designed to identify specific stress sources in elite skiers who suffered season-ending injuries and compare stress source factor differences between unsuccessful and successful postinjury performers. Retrospective qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 U.S. alpine and freestyle ski team members who suffered season-ending injuries. Results were content analyzed and revealed that the 182 stress source raw data themes coalesced into eight higher order dimensions including: psychological, social, physical, medical/rehab, financial, career, missed nonski opportunities, and other. The successful versus unsuccessful skier comparisons revealed that a greater percentage of unsuccessful skiers reported a lack of attention/empathy and negative relationship social dimension concerns, as well as poor performance and inactivity physical dimension concerns. Successful skiers reported more isolation concerns. Findings are discussed relative to how athletic injuries result in not only physical stressors, but a broad range of social and psychological stressors.
Effects of Selected Mental Practice on Performance, Self-Efficacy, and Competition Confidence of Figure Skaters
Authors: Garza Deborah L. , Feltz Deborah L.
Published: August 2016

This study examined the effectiveness of mental practice techniques for improving figure skating performance, self-efficacy, and self-confidence for competition. Two interventions, paper freestyle drawing (PFD) and walk through on floor (WTF), were compared to a stretching control group. Participants (n = 27), ages 10 to 18 years, were members of the United States Figure Skating Association and were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. The study included procedural reliability checks such as pre- and post-manipulation checks; structured seminars; and homework workbooks. Results indicated that the two mental practice groups significantly improved their performance ratings in jumps and spins, and their competition confidence compared to the stretching control group. Results also indicated that the WTF mental practice group increased their spinning self-efficacy beliefs compared to the PFD mental practice treatment and the stretching control group.
Pain Education and Management in the Rehabilitation from Sports Injury
Authors: Taylor Jim , Taylor Shel
Published: August 2016

This article addresses the essential role that pain plays in the rehabilitation of sports injury. It will describe important information and approaches that applied sport psychologists can use to more effectively manage pain in injured athletes. The article includes a brief discussion of the most accepted theories of pain. Types of pain that injured athletes may experience and how they can learn to discriminate between them will be discussed. The article will also consider how pain can be a useful tool as information about injured athletes’ current status in recovery and the need to modify their rehabilitation regimens. The value of measuring pain will be examined with emphasis on determining a simple and easy means of assessing pain. Next, the article will examine why nonpharmacological pain management may be a useful adjunct to pharmacological pain control. Then, a brief description of the most commonly used pain medications and a detailed description of common nonpharmacological pain-management strategies will be furnished. A discussion of how nonpharmacological pain management can be incorporated into the traditional rehabilitation process will be offered. Finally, the article will describe the role that sport psychologists can play in the management of sport injury-related pain. The objective of this article is to provide applied practitioners with the knowledge and tools necessary to assist injured athletes in mitigating the pain they will experience during recovery as a means of facilitating their rehabilitation and return to sport.
An In-Depth Analysis of the Uses of Imagery by High-Level Slalom Canoeists and Artistic Gymnasts
Authors: White Alison , Hardy Lew
Published: August 2016

This study employed a qualitative methodology to examine the ways in which imagery is used by high-level slalom canoeists (n = 3) and artistic gymnasts (n = 3). Participants were interviewed about their imagery use and experiences in different environments. Athletes’ responses were analyzed using inductive and deductive procedures. A total of 43 raw data themes formed 10 first order and 3 second order dimensions, characterizing the athletes’ uses of imagery. Participants reported using imagery in a variety of different environments for cognitive and motivational purposes. Data showed several differences between the canoeists’ and gymnasts’ uses of imagery, reflecting the differing task demands of each sport. The experience of imagery was unique to each individual, and athletes were able to emphasize certain aspects or manipulate the content of their images for specific cognitive or motivational functions.
An Examination of Mental Skills Training in Junior Tennis Coaches
Authors: Gould Daniel , Damarjian Nicole , Medbery Russell
Published: August 2016

The effects of mental skills training in youth sport have been well documented (Efran, Lessor, & Spiller, 1994; Li-Wei, Qi-Wei, Orlick, & Zitzelsberger, 1992; Wanlin, Hrycaiko, Martin, & Mahon, 1997). This investigation focused on understanding why mental skills training information is not being used by junior tennis coaches and identifying better ways to convey this information to coaches. Focus-group interviews were conducted with 20 elite junior tennis coaches. Results revealed a need for more mental skills training coach education on content information. Understanding how to teach mental skills was also emphasized, as was the need for coaches to become more comfortable with this process. Coaches suggested that mental skills training information could be made more user-friendly through development of hands-on concrete examples and activities, increased mental skills training resources (particularly audio and video formats), and involvement in mental skills coach education efforts.
A Phenomenological Analysis of Group Norms in Sport Teams
Authors: Munroe Krista , Estabrooks Paul , Dennis Paul , Carron Albert
Published: August 2016

This study aimed to identify group norms present in sport teams for practices, competition, social situations, and the off-season. Participants (n = 87 males, n = 53 females) were asked to list behaviors prescribed (i.e., expected) or proscribed (i.e., not appropriate) for each of the four situations. Results showed that a norm associated with productivity was the most frequently cited for competitions (16.3%), practice (22.3%), and the off-season (60.1%). Many of the other frequently cited norms indirectly reflected on productivity—punctuality (23.6 and 8.9% for practices and competitions, respectively), attendance (13.6 and 3.0%, respectively), and preparedness (3.3 and 7.1%, respectively). An overwhelming majority of the other norms cited were related to group maintenance (i.e., in the off-season, maintain contact, 8.7%; in social situations, attend functions. 16.5%; and respect teammates, 16.5%). Results are discussed in terms of their relevance to sport team dynamics.
Imagery Use in Sport: A Literature Review and Applied Model
Authors: Martin Kathleen A. , Moritz Sandra E. , Hall Craig R.
Published: August 2016

Research examining imagery use by athletes is reviewed within the context of an applied model for sport. The model conceptualizes the sport situation, the type of imagery used, and imagery ability as factors that influence how imagery use can affect an athlete. Three broad categories of imagery effects are examined: (a) skill and strategy learning and performance, (b) cognitive modification, and (c) arousal and anxiety regulation. Recommendations are offered for the operationalization and measurement of constructs within the model, and suggestions are provided for how the model may guide future research and application.
The Effect of Self-Modeling on the Performance of Beginning Swimmers
Authors: Starek Joanna , McCullagh Penny
Published: August 2016

The present study compared the effects of two types of modeling, self- and other-modeling, on learning elementary swimming skills. Specifically, potential differences between the two modeling conditions in swimming performance, swimming self-efficacy, and state anxiety were investigated. Participants were adult volunteers from a college community. Ages ranged from 20 to 58. Each participant took five individual swimming lessons. Results indicated that participants in the self-modeling condition demonstrated better swimming performance by the fourth swim session than participants in the other-modeling condition. No differences were found between modeling conditions on either swimming self-efficacy or state anxiety. Potential reasons for the difference in performance are identified and discussed.
The Effects of Imagery on Female College Swimmers’ Perceptions of Anxiety
Authors: Page Stephen J. , Sime Wesley , Nordell Kelly
Published: August 2016

Some athletes perceive competitive anxiety as negative and detrimental to performance while it invigorates and excites others. Since perceptions of anxiety impact motor performance, it is important to develop techniques by which perceptions can be modified. The aims of this study were to determine the efficacy of a single imagery session in: (a) modifying perceptions of anxiety from negative to positive, and (b) reducing precompetitive state anxiety levels. Using a switched replication design, Murray’s (1989) Competitive Anxiety Perception Scale (CAPS) and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) (Martens, Burton, Vealey, Bump, & Smith, 1990) were administered to 40 female intercollegiate swimmers weekly over the course of 5 weeks. Following random exposure to imagery, nonsignificant changes on the scales of the CSAI-2 (cognitive [F{1, 39} = .30, p > .05], somatic [F{1, 39} = 0.72, p > .05], self-confidence [F{1, 39} = 2.93, p > .05]), and significant improvements on the CAPS as positive (F[1, 39] = 19.60, p < .01) were observed. Results suggest that perceptions of anxiety may be modified by imagery, which could aid performance.
An Examination of Coping in Sport: Individual Trait Anxiety Differences and Situational Consistency
Authors: Giacobbi Peter R. , Weinberg Robert S.
Published: August 2016

The purposes of the present investigation were to examine the coping responses of different subgroups of athletes (e.g., high and low trait anxious athletes), and to assess the consistency of athlete’s coping behaviors across situations. Two-hundred and seventy-three athletes completed the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS) by Smith, Smoll, & Schutz (1990) and coping assessments in trait and state versions of the sport adapted COPE (MCOPE) by Crocker and Graham (1995). The state coping measures assessed coping responses of situations for which the athletes actually experienced. The results of three separate, doubly multivariate, repeated measures, MANOVA’s showed that high trait anxious athletes responded to stressful situations using different coping behaviors (e.g., denial, wishful thinking, and self-blame) than the low trait anxious athletes. In addition, coping appears to be more stable than situationally variable as Pearson correlational coefficients computed between the three measures ranged from 0.53 to 0.80. The results are discussed with regard to theoretical, research, and applied issues.
Brief Contact Interventions in Sport Psychology
Authors: Giges Burt , Petitpas Albert
Published: August 2016

The sport psychology literature provides many examples of the use of mental skills training with athletes. Little attention, however, has been given to those brief interventions that occur frequently when working with athletes in the field. Such interventions are time limited, action oriented, and present focused. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of the use of brief contact interventions with athletes in field settings. In particular, we provide a short introduction to such interventions, describe a framework for their use, and present several case examples. We believe that brief contact interventions can be made more effective by following the principles described in this article.
The Effects of a Mental Skills Training Package on Gymnasium Triathlon Performance
Authors: Thelwell Richard C. , Greenlees Iain A.
Published: August 2016

The present study examined the effects of a mental skills training package on gymnasium triathlon performance. Five participants took part in a single-subject multiple baseline across individuals design, which was used to evaluate an intervention package including goal setting, relaxation, imagery, and selftalk. The results of the study indicated the mental skills package to be effective in enhancing triathlon performance for all five participants. Additionally, all participants increased their usage of mental skills from baseline to intervention phases. Follow-up social validation checks indicated all participants to have perceived the intervention to be successful and enjoyable, and all were satisfied with delivery and content of the package. In conclusion, the findings provide further evidence to suggest mental skills training packages to be effective for endurance performance.
Application of the Transtheoretical Model to Psychological Skills Training
Authors: Leffingwell Thad R. , Rider Steven P. , Williams Jean M.
Published: August 2016

In an effort to apply the transtheoretical model of change to the area of psychological skills training, questionnaires measuring stage of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy were developed and cross-validated on two samples of NCAA Division I intercollegiate student-athletes. The measures showed good internal reliability and construct validity and exhibited hypothesized functional relationships with each other. In addition, the stage of change measure predicted sport psychology consultations initialed by athletes during the year following questionnaire administration and may prove to be a useful tool in predicting subsequent initiation of individual sport psychology consultation. Several potentially useful lines of research are discussed and recommendations are made regarding the development of sport psychology interventions tailored according to athletes’ stage of change.
Religiosity of Elite College Athletes
Authors: Storch Eric A. , Kolsky Andrea R. , Silvestri Susan M. , Storch Jason B.
Published: August 2016

This study was a pilot examination of the religiousness of student athletes as compared to nonathletes. Participants were 248 undergraduate students (84 athletes) at the University of Florida who were enrolled in randomly chosen courses within the Department of Counselor Education. To assess the organizational, nonorganizational, and intrinsic dimensions of religion, the Duke Religion Index was used. Findings indicate that male and female athletes reported higher degrees of organizational, nonorganizational, and intrinsic religiousness than male nonathletes. Implications of these Findings on future research and applied sport practice are discussed.
To Unearth the Legacy
Authors: Oglesby Carole A.
Published: August 2016

This paper describes and examines the feminist world view as a state of consciousness, which informs the scholarly and professional work of those who hold it. The context of the paper is the relatively unrecognized contribution of feminist women in the sport sciences, particularly in the 1950-1975 formative period in the subdiscipline of sport psychology. The peculiar absence of women in the mainstream histories of sport psychology is explored and a cohort of women contributors is presented.
One Lesbian Feminist Epistemology: Integrating Feminist Standpoint, Queer Theory, and Feminist Cultural Studies
Authors: Krane Vikki
Published: August 2016

This paper describes an epistemology integrating feminist standpoint, queer theory, and feminist cultural studies. Feminist standpoint theory assumes that people develop different perspectives based on their position in society, and women have a distinct standpoint because of the power differential between females and males in our society. Queer theory places sexuality as a central focus, acknowledges the common history of devaluation of non heterosexual individuals, and challenges the current power structure marginalizing nonheterosexuals. Feminist cultural studies examines the role of gender within our cultural interactions and the reproduction of gender inequality in society. I then provide examples illustrating how these perspectives come together and guide my research investigating the experiences of lesbians in sport and women’s bodily experiences.
Feminist Praxis in Sport Psychology Research
Authors: Bredemeier Brenda Light
Published: August 2016

This article presents a discussion of feminist praxis in sport psychology research. Praxis is a dialectical process of reflection and action that is motivated by one’s commitment to transformation. Those who are engaged in feminist praxis are working to transform the power and privilege differentials based on social structures and practices that deny or diminish the full humanity of all peoples. Sport psychology research that is grounded in feminist praxis seeks to better understand the sport experiences of marginalized people, especially girls and women, in order to inform strategies and processes for personal and social change. Two research projects are used to illustrate feminist praxis in sport psychology research. The first research project involved an investigation of women’s epistemological perspectives in their daily lives and physical activity domains. The second involved a study of lesbian moral exemplars who have been active and influential in sport. The feminist praxis that grounded both projects impacted the relationships among sport psychology researchers and study participants as well as other methodological considerations.
A Qualitative Analysis of Catastrophic Performances and the Associated Thoughts, Feelings, and Emotions
Authors: Edwards Tara , Hardy Lew , Kingston Kieran , Gould Dan
Published: August 2016

Structured in-depth interviews explored the catastrophic experiences of eight elite performers. Participants responded to questions concerning an event in which they felt they had experienced an uncharacteristic but very noticeable drop in their performance, a “performance catastrophe.” Inductive and deductive analyses were employed to provide a clear representation of the data. This paper reports on how the dimensions emerging from the hierarchical content analysis changed from prior to the catastrophic drop in performance, during the drop, and after the drop (in terms of any recovery). Two emerging higher order dimensions, “sudden, substantial drop in performance” and “performance continued to deteriorate” provide support for one of the fundamental underpinnings of the catastrophe model (Hardy, 1990, 1996a, 1996b); that is, performance decrements do not follow a smooth and continuous path. The paper examines the implications of the findings with respect to applied practice and future research.
Self-Efficacy, Causal Attribution, and Track Athletic Performance Following Unexpected Success or Failure among Elite Sprinters
Authors: Gernigon Christophe , Delloye Jean-Baptiste
Published: August 2016

The influence of an unexpected outcome in a first sprint trial on athletes’ selfefficacy and performance, and the relationships between outcome, causal attribution, self-efficacy, and performance were examined. Sixty-two national level competition sprinters assessed self-efficacy, ran a first 60 m trial with manipulated time feedback (success vs. failure), expressed causal attributions, assessed self-efficacy again, and ran a second 60 m trial. Success and failure, respectively, increased and decreased self-efficacy. Stability of causes mediated the feedback, self-efficacy relation for males. Personal control predicted self-efficacy for females. Performance was not influenced by feedback but was weakly predicted by self-efficacy. This study sheds light on some of the cognitive and motivational processes that are involved in serial sports events.
The Influence of Social Support on the Lived Experiences of Spinal Cord Injured Sportsmen
Authors: Rees Tim , Smith Brett , Sparkes Andrew C.
Published: August 2016

This study draws upon life history data to investigate the influence of social support on the lives of 6 men who had acquired a spinal cord injury and become disabled through playing sport. Interviews were analyzed utilizing categorical-content analysis (Lieblich, Tuval-Mashiach, & Zilber, 1998). The participants experienced emotional, esteem, informational, and tangible support (Rees & Hardy, 2000) from various sources. Alongside the positive influence of social support, examples are shown of inappropriate or negatively-experienced support and where participants considered sport to be lacking. The spinal cord injured person is encouraged to be proactive in resourcing social support, but providers might also be taught to recognize the impact, either positively or negatively, that their giving support can have.
Developing Competitive Endurance Performance Using Mental Skills Training
Authors: Thelwell Richard C. , Greenlees Iain A.
Published: August 2016

The present study examined the effects of a mental skills training package on competitive gymnasium triathlon performance and evaluated the utilization and impacts of the mental skills during performance. Four participants competed against each other on ten occasions in a single-subject multiple baseline across individuals design, which was used to evaluate an intervention package including goal setting, relaxation, imagery, and self-talk. The results indicated the mental skills package to be effective in enhancing all participants’ competitive triathlon performance and usage of mental skills from baseline to intervention phases. Qualitative data revealed that each of the mental skills were employed both prior to and during each triathlon and had varying impacts depending on when they were utilized. Issues regarding mental skill effectiveness and usage within competitive endurance performance are discussed.
Provision of Sport Psychology Services at an International Competition: The XVI Maccabiah Games
Authors: Van Raalte Judy L.
Published: August 2016

Creating and delivering effective sport psychology programs for traveling groups of athletes is a challenging task, particularly when athletes have limited experience with international travel. Using key points from Poczwardowski, Sherman, and Henschen’s (1998) sport psychology service delivery heuristic, this paper provides a personal account of sport psychology services provided at the 16th Maccabiah Games. Guidelines for sport psychology consultants working and traveling with competitive athletes and teams at future international sporting events are provided.
Self-Talk and Female Youth Soccer Performance
Authors: Johnson Janelle J.M. , Hrycaiko Dennis W. , Johnson Gary V. , Halas Joannie M.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of teaching skilled athletes to use self-talk (ST) and gain insight on the athlete’s perceptions of the ST intervention and how it influenced their performance. The participants were four female players from an “elite” under fourteen female regional soccer team. A single-subject design, the multiple baseline across individuals, was used to examine the effects of the ST strategy on performance. The results of the study demonstrated that the ST strategy improved soccer shooting performance for two of the three experimental participants. The social validity assessment found that both the coach and the participants were very satisfied with the results and believed the ST strategy to be an important component in improving their performance.
Applied Sport Psychology Supervision: A Survey of Students and Professionals
Authors: Watson Jack C. , Zizzi Samuel J. , Etzel Edward F. , Lubker John R.
Published: August 2016

The applied sport psychology supervision experiences of student and professional members of AAASP (N = 313) were surveyed. The results revealed that of those who provide applied sport psychology consultation, students were more likely than professionals to receive supervision and to receive weekly supervision. However, both groups received equal amounts of supervision and had case management as the primary component of their supervision. AAASP professional members providing supervision were more likely to hold certified consultant and licensure status than those who did not provide supervision. Only 22.4% of professionals reported providing applied sport psychology supervision, 75.9% of whom had little or no training in supervision. No differences were found in the amount, type, and quality of supervision provided to students from physical education/sport science programs and those in psychology programs.
A Pragmatic Research Philosophy for Sport and Exercise Psychology
Authors: Giacobbi Peter R. , Poczwardowski Artur , Hager Peter
Published: August 2016

A pragmatic research philosophy is introduced that embraces mixed-method approaches to applied research questions. With its origins in the work of Peirce (1984), James (1907), Dewey (1931), and contemporary support from Rorty (1982, 1990,1991), pragmatism emphasizes the practical problems experienced by people, the research questions posited, and the consequences of inquiry. As a way to highlight applications of pragmatism in sport psychology, pragmatism is compared to constructivism and positivism in terms of philosophical underpinnings and methodological applications. The pragmatic researcher is sensitive to the social, historical, and political context from which inquiry begins and considers morality, ethics, and issues of social justice to be important throughout the research process. Pragmatists often use pluralistic methods during multiphase research projects. Exemplar design types are discussed that logically cohere to a pragmatic research philosophy.
Who Delivers Sport Psychology Services? Examining the Field Reality in Europe
Authors: Sanchez Xavier , Godin Philippe , De Zanet Fabrice
Published: August 2016

The goal of this investigation was to gain insight into the status of applied sport psychology in Europe, using the French-speaking part of Belgium as a case study. In contrast to previous studies, which have only focused on official scientific membership lists, the present survey examined the delivery of sport psychology services independent of practitioners’ educational background, membership, level of certification, and/or the topics addressed within their practice. Results revealed that degree-holding psychologists and people without any credentials coexist. Practitioners highlighted the need for informing the world of sport about applied sport psychology, developing specific training programs in sport psychology, and certifying people working as sport psychologists. Similar research across Europe, considering any professional delivering sport psychology services, is necessary to develop a more comprehensive picture of the subject.
A Phenomenological Analysis of Coping Effectiveness in Golf
Authors: Nicholls Adam R. , Holt Nicholas L. , Polman Remco C.J.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine instances when international agegroup golfers coped effectively and ineffectively with performance-related stressors during competition. Eighteen male Irish international golfers (M age = 17 years) participated in semistructured interviews pertaining to their coping experiences during golf competition. Data were thematically analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith & Osborn, 2003). Strategies associated with effective coping were rationalizing, reappraising, blocking, positive self-talk, following a routine, breathing exercises, physical relaxation, and seeking on-course social support. Alternatively, different types of coping responses (trying too hard, speeding up, routine changes, negative thoughts, lack of coping) were associated with ineffective coping. Theoretical and applied implications of these findings are discussed.
Effects of Hypnosis on Flow States and Cycling Performance
Authors: Lindsay Pete , Maynard Ian , Thomas Owen
Published: August 2016

Using a single-subject multiple baseline design, combined with assessments of participants’ internal experience (Wollman, 1986), the efficacy of a hypnotic intervention on flow state and competitive cycling performance was assessed in three elite cyclists. Intervention involved relaxation, imagery, hypnotic induction, hypnotic regression, and the conditioning of an unconscious trigger associated with the emotions of past peak performance. Ecologically valid performance measures were collected from British Cycling Federation (BCF) races, and the intensity of flow was assessed using Jackson and Marsh’s (1996) Flow State Scale (FSS). Results indicated that the number of BCF points gained per race was positively influenced in one participant, sporadically influenced in the second participant, and not influenced in the third participant. FSS scores during the intervention phase increased for one participant. These findings suggest that hypnotic interventions may improve elite competitive cycling performance and increase the feelings and cognitions associated with flow.
The Effect of a Life Development Intervention on Sports Career Transition Adjustment
Authors: Lavallee David
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of a life development intervention on career transition adjustment in retired professional athletes. Intervention (n = 32) and control groups (n = 39) were recruited for this study, both of which contained recently retired male professional soccer players. Data were collected on measures of career termination adjustment and coping with transitions, and the intervention group also participated in a life development intervention package. Results revealed significant postintervention treatment group differences on career transition adjustment in favor of the life development intervention, while significant within-group differences on career transition adjustment over time were also achieved for the intervention group. Results are discussed in relation to the personal and developmental costs of pursuing performance excellence.
Athlete-Counseling Competencies for U.S. Psychologists Working with Athletes
Authors: Ward D. Gant , Sandstedt Scott D. , Cox Richard H. , Beck Niels C.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this investigation was to identify several essential counseling competencies for psychologists working with athletes. U.S. experts judged 17 athlete-counseling competencies to be essential for ethical psychotherapy practice with athlete clients. Implications for this first set of specific athletecounseling competencies include (a) helping psychologists and students not trained in athlete-counseling and/or sport psychology identify areas in which they need further education, training, or experiences in order to competently work with athlete clients; (b) further defining the specialty of athletecounseling; and (c) assisting athlete clients, as well as non-athlete clients, in distinguishing among available psychological services. Suggestions for future athlete-counseling competency research were also presented.
Using a Case Formulation Approach in Sport Psychology Consulting
Authors: Gardner Frank L. , Moore Zella E.
Published: August 2016

Providing effective sport psychology services requires practitioners to conceptualize the unique issues and concerns of each individual athlete. However, collecting information on the athlete, understanding the athlete’s issues and needs, and determining how to best assist the athlete can be a complex process. Thus, this article outlines a case formulation approach to help the sport psychology consultant assess the athlete, organize and conceptualize assessment data, classify the athlete’s issues, and choose interventions that directly target those factors that are impeding the athlete’s progress in athletics or other life domains. Two case examples are provided to illustrate the case formulation process.