{"title":"Stepping on the Mat: A Novice Practitioner’s Experiences Conducting a Mental-Training Workshop for Mixed Martial Arts Athletes","authors":"J. Taber, K. Longshore","doi":"10.1123/cssep.2019-0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/cssep.2019-0013","url":null,"abstract":"The current case reports a multimodal group intervention implemented at a mixed martial arts (MMA) school. Participants in the workshop included athletes of a range of belt ranks and experience levels, demonstrating an interest in mental-skills training from not only competitive but also recreational athletes. Goal setting, arousal regulation, self-talk, and imagery were covered, with a short informative lecture and an activity for each skill. Feedback was generally positive, with participants indicating that they had learned a lot and suggesting more workshops in the future, as well as more sport-specific examples. For the student-trainee, being new to leading workshops and being a member of the population were important; for the supervisor, taking on that role and working in an unfamiliar sport were novel experiences. Efficacy research should be conducted with this kind of intervention for recreational MMA athletes, but feedback demonstrated an interest in mental skills for this population.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114252669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Testing a Brief Coping Intervention for High-Performance Youth Soccer Players and Their Parents","authors":"K. Tamminen, K. Pennock, C. Braun","doi":"10.1123/cssep.2019-0009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/cssep.2019-0009","url":null,"abstract":"The ability of young athletes to effectively cope with stressors is crucial for sustained sport enjoyment and participation, and parents play a key role in providing coping support. However, there is limited evidence for coping interventions directed at both youth athletes and their parents. The purpose of this study was to implement a coping workshop for youth athletes and also engage parents to provide them with information to support the development of coping skills among young athletes. Athlete–parent dyads from a high-performance soccer academy were assigned to either a 4-wk coping intervention or a control group using a matched quasi-experimental design. Survey data were analyzed using 2-factor repeated-measures ANOVAs and multiple-regression analyses. Results indicated that lower parental pressure and greater coping self-efficacy predicted lower stress in youth athletes. However, findings for the intervention in reducing overall stress and perceptions of parental pressure were not significant. Future coping intervention studies should address study design considerations related to timing, intervention modalities, and skill level of youth athletes.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"34 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133647017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rowing Over the Edge: Nonfunctional Overreaching and Overtraining Syndrome as Maladjustment—Diagnosis and Treatment From a Psychological Perspective","authors":"D. Birrer","doi":"10.1123/cssep.2019-0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/cssep.2019-0006","url":null,"abstract":"A rigorous training schedule with insufficient recovery can lead to nonfunctional overreaching (NFOR) or overtraining syndrome (OTS). Research has suggested the multifactorial etiology of these phenomena. Stressors that contribute to and are symptoms and consequences of NFOR and OTS and adjustment disorder are almost identical. In this case study of an elite rower, the author illustrates an intervention approach that can be taken when overtraining is viewed as a sport-specific form of adjustment disorder. The intervention involved treatment that improved the athlete’s awareness of his basic biopsychosocial processes, developed sources of self-worth beyond athletic performance, and challenged his 1-dimensional athletic identity. The intervention included cognitive-behavioral therapy methods (e.g., autogenic training) and mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions to enhance the athlete’s psychological flexibility. Mood monitoring was used as a diagnostic and evaluative instrument. Intervention effectiveness was evaluated through an in-depth interview with the athlete. The consulting sport psychologist also engaged in reflection about treatment effectiveness and predominant challenges. Challenging the athlete and clarifying his personal values were judged to be very important. Evaluation suggested that viewing NFOR and OTS as forms of adjustment disorder may help us recognize the multifaceted nature of an athlete’s maladjusted state and widen treatment options.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114190792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Soccer Referees’ Transition to the Premier League: A Case Study Reflecting Individual Experiences and Consultancy","authors":"R. Samuel","doi":"10.1123/CSSEP.2018-0017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/CSSEP.2018-0017","url":null,"abstract":"Soccer referees are performers on their own merit, yet little research has focused on their career transitions. This case study attempted to bridge this gap by examining 4 referees’ transition to t...","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"38 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124353377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christoph Kittler, Lukas Stenzel, D. Jekauc, O. Stoll
{"title":"Implementation of an App-Based Blended Mindfulness Intervention in a Bundesliga Youth Academy Targeting Goalkeepers: A Case Study","authors":"Christoph Kittler, Lukas Stenzel, D. Jekauc, O. Stoll","doi":"10.1123/cssep.2021-0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/cssep.2021-0006","url":null,"abstract":"Integrating extensive sport psychological interventions into the daily routine of young football players poses a problem. This case study aimed to describe the implementation of an app-based blended mindfulness intervention in a German Bundesliga youth academy to improve goalkeepers’ (n = 6) attention. A mindfulness app was combined with regular group workshops. The study included an outcome evaluation based on pre- and postintervention assessments of attention performance and process evaluation based on recorded training time and collected qualitative data. The results showed an improvement in the players’ Frankfurt Attention Inventory-2 L scores and K scores. The training time with the app was low (M = 30.51 min), but high (M = 200.00 min) without the app. To implement an app-based intervention successfully, the results imply that players need more assistance with the app, and time management and informal training should be incorporated into sport-specific exercises.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114874987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Phenomenological Consulting: Long-Term Mental Training With an Elite College Football Place Kicker","authors":"C. Wrisberg, Johannes Raabe","doi":"10.1123/CSSEP.2018-0011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/CSSEP.2018-0011","url":null,"abstract":"This case study depicts the approach taken by a sport psychology consultant who worked with an elite college football place kicker from the beginning of the individual’s freshman year to the end of his senior competitive season. The player expressed an interest in adding mental training to his conventional practice habits to manage the mental and emotional demands he expected to face throughout his career at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level. The consultant used an approach rooted in the philosophy of existential phenomenology, referred to as phenomenological consulting. The effectiveness of interventions was determined by the player’s description of his experience and reflections of the consultant. The present study represents an example of the benefits athletes might derive from a phenomenological approach to long-term performance consulting.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"63 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128023599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Training the Mind for Now and the Future: A Case Study of a Young Swimmer","authors":"Jolly Roy","doi":"10.1123/cssep.2019-0042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/cssep.2019-0042","url":null,"abstract":"This case study describes how psychological intervention was associated with improved performance. Adopting a cognitive approach, this case highlights a psychological intervention provided to a young swimmer who wished to improve her performance in a butterfly event and qualify for the national competition in her age group. The intervention focused on developing mental toughness, managing competitive anxiety, and maintaining self-confidence before competition. The results indicated improvement in mental toughness, ability to manage competitive anxiety, and being in the right mood before competition. Reflective practice provides a tentative suggestion for sport psychology practitioners who wish to engage in consultancy services.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"E-30 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126526828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Developing a Theory-Driven Intervention to Challenge Coach Thinking: A Case Study","authors":"Erica Pasquini, Melissa Thompson","doi":"10.1123/CSSEP.2018-0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/CSSEP.2018-0013","url":null,"abstract":"Coaching as a profession is a complex role that requires professional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal knowledge . In order for coaches to develop expertise in these areas, continued education can be beneficial. The case study presented focuses on the development and dissemination of a coach-education intervention designed to challenge coach thinking surrounding the coach-expectancy cycle. The coach-expectancy cycle is a well-researched model of coach behavior that follows a 4-stage cyclical pattern in which coaches develop biases based on their previous experiences. These biases then affect coach behavior toward athletes, which in turn affects athlete performance and motivation. Finally, athlete performance reinforces coach expectations. The authors developed a 2-hr theory-based intervention promoting mitigation of the cycle in a group of youth-soccer coaches. Theories used, the intervention, and practitioner reflections are discussed.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"15 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123735961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Consultancy Under Pressure: Intervening in the “Here and Now” With an Elite Golfer","authors":"John Pates, Kieran Kingston","doi":"10.1123/CSSEP.2019-0030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/CSSEP.2019-0030","url":null,"abstract":"This case study is a reflective account of a consultation with a 30-year-old male professional golfer. The approach by the player was made on the evening prior to the final round of a European Tour event, needing a top-20 finish on the final day of the tournament year. Failure to achieve this objective would have resulted in forfeiting of his playing privileges on the PGA European Tour for the following season, with the associated loss of income and, in this case, genuine threats to his livelihood. The consultant used a number of interventions (e.g., best-performance imagery, external focus of attention, hypnosis, and music) and an approach established in humanistic, phenomenological, and transpersonal psychology. Effectiveness was determined by performance and the player’s descriptions of his transcendental experience. The client provided social validation for the consultation approach and the intervention through his reflections. The intervention in this case appeared to elevate positive emotions and trigger a transcendental precursor to peak performance. While this type of intervention may provide immediate performance benefits for golfers experiencing low self-confidence, the case study also illustrates how consultants are often asked to support athletes under severe time constraints.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"90 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125116212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Challenges in Implementing a Time-Limited Martial-Arts Curriculum in Middle-School Physical Education Classes: A Research Consultation Case","authors":"Rob J. Rotunda, Stu Ryan","doi":"10.1123/cssep.2018-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/cssep.2018-0018","url":null,"abstract":"The present program consultation and evaluation examines the use of a martial-arts (MA) program in a middle-school physical education (PE) setting. Prior work and anecdotal reports suggest that MA instruction has the potential to produce both physical and psychosocial benefits for adult and adolescent participants, but rarely has a systematic program been implemented in schools. At the impetus of an MA organization, self-report measures of emotional intelligence and behavior of seventy 7th- and 8th-grade boys and girls who participated in a structured 18-session tae kwon do program as a component of their school’s PE curriculum were compared with those of 45 students who received typical PE class instruction. Participant satisfaction with the tae kwon do program and feedback received from the MA instructors and PE teachers suggest that this sport can be successfully integrated into school-based PE classes; this represents an opportunity to provide a novel programming alternative to students that promotes exercise and continued pursuit of physical activities, nonviolence, and respect of self and others. The project content, process, and challenges in working with a client MA organization to develop the curriculum, gaining entry into a public school, and explaining limitations of the research are discussed.","PeriodicalId":437281,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology","volume":"212 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121248992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}