Knowledge In Sport Psychology Research Articles

Coaches’ perceived pitfalls in delivering psychological skills training to high-level youth athletes in fencing and football

The current study examined how two high-level coaches in fencing and football perceived the challenges that emerged during a three-month coach education programme aimed at them delivering psychological skills training to athletes. We used action research as the study design and collected data using observations, six semi-structured interviews, and one focus group. We analysed the data using a thematic content analysis. Our findings showed that the coaches struggled with role clarity. The psychological impact was that coaches struggled with identifying the borders between delivering psychological skills training as a part of their coaching and when to refer athletes to sport psychology experts. The coaches also suggested that gaining more knowledge in sport psychology allowed them to analyse the athletes. However, the coaches viewed this as a potential area for abusing trust in the coach-athlete relationship. We suggest that coach education programmes should include content on ethical dilemmas to safeguard against potential abuse of the coach-athlete relationship.

Mental Game Myths and Tips for Coaches and Athletes

What often seems intuitive and well-meaning as a mental game strategy may be ineffective or detrimental to athletes, based on the evolution of knowledge in sport psychology. This article describes three popular ideas about the mental game and identifies them as myths, based on experience and research. These myths are (1) mental training should focus on the “zone,” or the pursuit of peak performance, (2) confidence is required to perform well, and (3) attentional “triggers” are best to lock in optimal focus. Recent advances in sport mental training emphasize the importance of preparing responses to competitive challenges, and using specific focus strategies based on the athlete's level of expertise. Practical tips and strategies are also provided to enhance mental skills in athletes and to find alternatives to traditional thinking about the mental game.

Determinants of Elite Disability Sport Performance

In the last 10-20 years sport psychologists have started to emphasize the value of mental strengths such as self-confidence for disability sport athletes (Martin, 2012). The pinnacle of disability sport competition, the Paralympics, is becoming increasingly competitive, suggesting a strong need for athletes to possess effective mental skills. Like the Olympics there is intense pressure to win at the Paralympics. In the current review article I discuss the body of knowledge in sport psychology that focuses on potential direct and indirect determinants of performance in elite disability sport. The review is organized around a personnel developmental model used by Martin (1999, 2005, 2012). This model is a humanistic model and revolves around foundation qualities, psychological methods and skills, and facilitative and debilitative factors. The premise of the model is also similar to McCann's sentiment that “at the Olympics [Paralympics], everything is a performance issue” (2008, p. 267).

Publishing Productivity in Sport Psychology 1970–2000: An Exploratory Examination of the Lotka-Price Law

The current study examined whether the distribution of published research papers in the field of sport psychology followed the Lotka-Price Law of scientific productivity. All authors who had published articles in five sport psychology journals from 1970 to 2000 were considered. The impact of those authors was determined by the total number of published papers in all journals. Results provided limited support for the Lotka-Price Law; however, it appeared that the field of sport psychology was less elitist than other fields. Although these findings suggest that productivity in this field is similar to that in other fields of science, more research is needed to shed light on the role of the eminent scientist and the average researcher in the advancement of knowledge in sport psychology.

A Feminist Perspective on Contemporary Sport Psychology Research

Martens (1987) and Dewar and Horn (1992) expressed the need for accepting diverse epistemological perspectives in sport psychology. This paper proposes feminism as an alternative approach to sport psychology research. Feminism grew out of dissatisfaction with “science-as-usual” that often overlooks the experiences of females and acknowledges that sport behavior does not occur in a value-free vacuum; male and female athletes are exposed to very different situations and experiences in sport. A reexamination of the knowledge base, with particular attention to the experiences of females, is needed. Because discontentment with logical positivism has led researchers in a variety of fields to adopt a feminist perspective, a brief critique of logical positivism is provided. A feminist paradigm and feminist methodologies are described, showing how they can enhance knowledge in sport psychology. Finally, examples of feminist inquiry in sport psychology are provided.