Clinical Sport Psychology

Abstract

Clinical Sport Psychology will provide readers with an assortment of tools to use in evaluating and working with athletes. The text addresses a range of athletes’ issues in an informed and integrated approach to sport psychology. Rather than focusing on one problem area, one modality of intervention, or one aspect of professional practice, Clinical Sport Psychology blends grounded theory and sound research with effective assessment and intervention practices, presenting empirically informed intervention guidelines specific to various needs of athletes. This text provides the foundation needed for working with athletes experiencing a range of nonclinical, subclinical, and clinical issues. Readers will learn to thoroughly assess athletes, identify and understand their needs, and appropriately intervene with each athlete—unless a referral is necessary to better meet an athlete's individual needs. Clinical Sport Psychology contains the following features: - A thorough explanation of the Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach to enhancement of sport performance - A detailed examination of the empirical support for traditional procedures in sport psychology - A detailed and practical understanding of the Integrative Model of Athletic Performance (IMAP), which integrates clinical and sport science - A firm understanding of the Multilevel Classification System for Sport Psychology (MCS-SP), a model to classify the wide range of athletes’ issues - A clear organizational structure from theory through intervention, including special considerations. Clinical Sport Psychology presents a new way of thinking about the psychological processes that are involved in attaining and maintaining sport expertise. The text, based on clinical and sport research, bridges the gap between clinical and sport psychologists by presenting a model that connects athletic performance, basic psychological processes, and relevant empirical findings.