The role of psychosocial support training in sports talent development

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of psychosocial support training for talent development in sports. Four elite Brazilian athletes, two males, and two females were interviewed. The grounded theory methodology was employed to analyze the data. The participants evaluated the psychosocial support training as instrumental to their talent development. They highlighted the following dimensions of the training: biofeedback, mentalization techniques, and feelings of knowing what to do under pressure. The findings of this study pointed out that factors associated with psychosocial support training, such as psychological strength, mastery orientation style, and tactical discipline, may contribute to athletes’ eminent performance. When applied to elite athletes, psychosocial support training may improve performance and psychosocial development. Theoretical and practical implications of this study considering talent development in different domains are discussed.