Effects of Positive and Negative Self-Talk on Balance and Postural Sway in College Students

Abstract

Self-talk pertains to phrases individuals recite aloud or internally to increase motivation and focus and is a frequently used psychological skill that promotes enhanced sport performance. Several studies have examined how different these forms of self-talk can affect the execution of specific tasks in sport, but few have examined if self-talk can improve performance in basic activities of daily living, such as balance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two different self-talk strategies on static balance and body stability during a single-leg balance task. Twenty-nine participants were divided into three groups (control group, positive self-talk group, negative self-talk group) and performed a single-leg balance task on the right and left leg while donning inertial measurement units and standing on a force platform and while reciting a positive, negative, or no self-talk strategy (i.e., control). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were detected in the anterior-posterior center of pressure displacement and velocity, and the anterior-posterior center of mass displacement and velocity of the right and left legs. The findings of this study do not suggest that positive or negative self-talk impacts performance during a single-leg balance task.