Competitive Sport Environments

Abstract

Cognitive intervention techniques have been widely employed in clinical psychology as a method of facilitating behavior change. Recently, sport psychologists have employed cognitive behavior modification strategies in an attempt to improve and optimize athletic performance. The purpose of this article is to outline a comprehensive program of cognitive intervention that hasbeen successfully utilized to modify and enhance athlete performance in actual intercollegiate sport environments. Three single case studies utilizingan A-B design are presented in detail. Descriptions of the intervention technique and comparisons of preprogram performance with during-program performance are presented. In each case the techniques involved problem identification, cognitive restructuring, and use of self-instructional imagery. All athletes participating in the intervention experienced significant performance improvements as evidenced by a comparison of baseline performances with post-intervention performances.2.