The Sequence of Basic Mental Skills: A Guide for Psychological Skills Training

Abstract

Psychological skills training (PST) programs involve the delivery of multiple mental skills. While this ‘packaged’ approach to mental skills training is effective, little is known regarding the proper sequence of such mental skills. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a sequence for the delivery of basic mental skills. The Sequence of Basic Mental Skills consists of four mental skills: (1) goal setting, (2) imagery, (3) self-talk, and (4) relaxation. The premise of this sequence is that each skill will assist in the learning and application of subsequent mental skills. To help practitioners utilize this sequence, a brief case study is included to illustrate the application of this sequence. The Sequence of Basic Mental Skills offers both theoretical and practical implications and addresses a notable gap in the sequencing of mental skills.