Subscription journal ISSN (Print) 2157-3905 - ISSN (Online) 2157-3913 This journal is no longer being updated because: the publisher no longer provides RSS feeds
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Abstract: The well-being of elite athletes has been an important focus of research in recent years, with a view to identifying the specific stressors they experience and thus inform effective mechanisms of support for those competing at an elite level. However, para-athlete well-being has been comparatively underresearched, and the nuances that may contribute to or inhibit well-being in this population are still poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to explore elite para-athlete experiences of well-being and to understand the unique aspects of the elite para-athlete environment that may impact upon their well-being. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 21 current U.K. para-athletes (13 Paralympians and eight internationally competitive para-athletes; from 12 different summer para-sports; median age: 28.8 years, range 22–47). Data were inductively thematically analyzed. Four key themes were developed: (a) understanding of para-athlete well-being, (b) a need for specialized support, (c) navigating conflicting identities, (d) access to (some) opportunities. Para-athletes highlighted a need for more specific, tailored support from within the elite sport context (e.g., in relation to transitions into centralized programs and the day-to-day support offered by athlete support personnel). Classification processes were experienced as highly stressful events, which many para-athletes felt underprepared to navigate. Para-athletes struggled to manage their identity as an elite sports person, fighting against media “superhuman” discourses and pressures from national governing body (NGB) staff that failed to acknowledge them as “person first, athlete second”. Our study emphasizes the importance of the provision of tailored support to protect and enhance well-being in this specific population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) PubDate: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT DOI: 10.1037/spy0000342
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Abstract: Use of Ericsson and Simon (1980, 1993) think aloud (TA) method within sport and exercise psychology research has increased in recent years. The purpose of this review was to map current research that has used the TA method with athletes and exercisers by synthesizing published literature that has adopted the TA method to investigate athlete or exerciser cognitions during task performance. Seven electronic databases were searched three times, with a final search conducted in April 2023. Thirty-six studies satisfying the eligibility criteria were included. Several methodological issues were identified including misunderstandings about the nature of the TA method, leading to the use of methods different from and sometimes antithetical to those proposed by Ericsson and Simon (1980, 1993). Other issues identified concerned participant samples, TA training, ecological validity of tasks, and defining the standard of participants. Theoretical misconceptions, methodological considerations, and recommendations for future research using the TA method to generate understanding of participant cognitions during task performance in sport and exercise are discussed. This review documents the extent and nature of the use of the TA method within sport and exercise psychology research and can guide researchers seeking to conduct high-quality research involving the TA method in future. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) PubDate: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT DOI: 10.1037/spy0000343
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Abstract: Evidence for the protective role of dispositional mindfulness for athletic performance, stress, and mood among elite athletes has been demonstrated through correlational and interventional studies. The effects of state mindfulness on athletic functioning in day-to-day training contexts remains unclear. We examined the effects of state mindfulness on mood, biological markers of stress, and self-rated athletic performance in elite athletes during daily training. We used a diary study design to collect data on state mindfulness, mood, self-rated athletic performance, and salivary cortisol directly following training sessions of 78 elite athletes. For each athlete, a total of 27 data points were obtained across 9 weeks with data collected on a separate day, 3 days per week. Data were analyzed with multilevel structural equation modeling. At both the between-person and within-person levels, state mindfulness was significantly and negatively related to total mood disturbance and maladaptive dimensions of mood, including anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension. Conversely, state mindfulness was positively related to vigor and self-rated athletic performance. Relations between state mindfulness and biological markers of stress were nonsignificant. Overall, findings of the present study provide preliminary empirical evidence supporting the utility of mindfulness interventions for improving state mindfulness of elite athletes. Such interventions may increase the positive mood of athletes and their performance during training. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) PubDate: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT DOI: 10.1037/spy0000338
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Abstract: Flow states are associated with highly desirable outcomes including increased performance, well-being, and intrinsic rewards, making it sought after in sport and exercise. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a flow intervention for runners (guided by an intervention development protocol), using a mixed-method design including a mixed 2 (group) × 2 (run) experimental design supplemented by qualitative data from event-focused interviews. Twenty Australian runners (six female, 14 male; Mage = 29.65 years, SD = 7.95) completed two 20-min runs on a self-paced treadmill. Participants were randomly assigned to a control (n = 10) or intervention group (n = 10). All participants completed a 20-min baseline run (with the goal to “run at a comfortable pace for 20 min”). The control group completed their second run following the same baseline instructions. The intervention group completed their second run following a protocol that incorporated a combination of open goals (i.e., “see how far you can run in 20 min”), performance feedback, and individualized metronome tempo. Measures included flow, distance run within 20 min, perceptions of challenge, and confidence during the run. A semistructured interview was conducted at the conclusion of the intervention. No significant differences were observed between the intervention and control groups; however, the qualitative data suggest that participants in both groups experienced periods of flow. Importantly, the mixed-methods approach enabled exploration of how and why flow occurred in both conditions. This study provides key considerations for the future development and evaluation of flow interventions in sport and exercise. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) PubDate: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT DOI: 10.1037/spy0000340
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Selection and training of special operations forces operators is long-lasting process that involves significant manpower to select the best candidates for one of the most demanding and dangerous jobs in the world. The Tier 1 qualification course, which represents the initial months of training for an operator, is so labor-intensive that even after completing a specific selection course to reduce the number of failures, attrition remains the highest among all military trainings. This study presents data of 77 successfully selected candidates to the special forces qualification course in Belgium and investigates the differences between succeeders (n = 16) and dropouts (n = 61). Unlike previous investigations, these results do not describe successfully selected candidates for the training, rather successful operators. Additionally, previous studies have primarily focused on physical fitness as the performance outcome to identify relevant subcomponents such as aerobic capacity, muscular strength, or power. By contrast, the present article provides a detailed investigation of the performance profile at not only the physical level, but also cognitive and personality levels for among succeeders and dropouts in the qualification course. Unsurprisingly, physical fitness was a significant difference between groups, and a major predictor of success. However, for the first time, we demonstrate the major influence of intelligence (measured as intelligence quotient), as the most important determinant of success for the qualification course, according to a relative weight analysis. In addition, the detailed intellectual assessment shows that some visuospatial measures are less relevant for success, whereas verbal measures are highly relevant, and may have been overlooked in previous literature. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) PubDate: Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT DOI: 10.1037/spy0000336
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