Well-being In Sport Research Articles

The effects of psychological skills and mindfulness on well-being of student-athletes: A path analysis

Participation in elite level sport requires being subjected to considerably stressful training and competition environments. Psychological skills and mindfulness have been demonstrated to enhance performance in sport, but less is known regarding how they impact an athlete’s well-being in their sport and in their life. Greater knowledge of this relationship would aid practitioners in developing holistic, more psychologically well-adjusted student-athletes. To this end, 222 NCAA Division I athletes representing six different sports completed measures of mindfulness in sport, psychological skills, general well-being, and sport well-being. Path analyses indicated that both psychological skills and mindfulness had positive and moderate effects on sport well-being; however, only mindfulness was shown to have a positive moderate effect global well-being. Also, a nonjudgmental approach towards one’s experiences is highly correlated with global well-being. The practical implications of the findings include evidence for the importance of developing these skills in college athletes to enhance their sport well-being and global well-being.

Mapping judgment of well-being in sport

ABSTRACT This study aims to map different positions regarding the way in which 71 adolescents (Mage = 15.46, SD = 1.55), 104 young adults (Mage = 21.10, SD = 1.33), and 57 middle-aged adults (Mage = 48.30, SD = 6.59) integrated mentally five elements of eudaimonia (relatedness, autonomy, competence, mental vitality, and physical vitality) for judging the degree of well-being in sport. The participants indicated their judgment of well-being in 32 scenarios constructed from the combination of these information cues. A cluster analysis, ANOVAs, and chi-square test were conducted. Two positions on judgment were observed and called “Additive rule and Moderate Well-Being” and “Disjunctive rule and High Well-Being”. The five elements of eudaimonia had a positive effect on the judgment of well-being. They were combined differently according to the age of the participants. This type of study may be useful for health educators and exercise or health promotion specialists.

Measuring eudaimonic wellbeing in sport: Validation of the Eudaimonic Wellbeing in Sport Scale

The purpose of this study was to create and validate a sport-specific eudaimonic wellbeing measure (EWBSS; Eudaimonic Wellbeing in Sport Scale) and included three phases. In Phase 1, an initial pool of 19 items was developed and five items were selected by five experts to represent eudaimonic wellbeing in sport (EWBSS). Four hundred athletes (Mage = 24.32, SD = 6.69) from various individual and team sports participated in Phase 2. Factorial validity and reliability scores were examined using confirmatory factor analysis and alpha coefficient calculations. Results indicated initial evidence for both factorial validity and internal consistency of the EWBSS. In Phase 3, further psychometric testing of the EWBSS with two independent samples (i.e., competitive and recreational athletes) ensued. The findings provided further evidence of sound validity and reliability scores of the EWBSS in competitive athletes. Partial support for the psychometric properties of the EWBSS was provided in recreational athletes. As the validation of an instrument is an ongoing process, more research is needed to further evaluate the validity of the EWBSS.

Development of the Sport Mental Health Continuum—Short Form (Sport MHC-SF)

Well-being research conducted in competitive athletics has been marred by the lack of a context-specific measurement instrument. The purpose of this study was to adapt the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form (MHC-SF) to create a sport-specific well-being instrument, the Sport Mental Health Continuum—Short Form (Sport MHC-SF), and test its initial psychometric properties. Participants were 287 collegiate athletes from a variety of sports. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) determined a three-factor structure of sport well-being, consisting of subjective, psychological, and social factors, as the model of best fit. Internal consistency reliabilities of the subscales exceeded .88. Moderate positive correlations were found between Sport MHC-SF subscales and quality of life indices, notably physical and emotional quality of life, demonstrating convergent validity. The Sport MHC-SF will facilitate empirical research by providing a more accurate and comprehensive measurement of well-being for an athletic population.

Enhancing capacity: Integrating self-compassion in sport

Self-compassion represents a shift in how to support performance and well-being in sport, and there has been recent attention directed toward the construct in both research and applied domains. To inform next steps in research and practice, we have reflected on self-compassion intervention and practice based on the current state of the literature and present key considerations for progressing understanding of self-compassion in sport. For the potential of self-compassion in supporting performance and well-being to truly be understood and harnessed, it is necessary to be strategic in addressing remaining fundamental questions.

Spiritual Well-Being in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Research indicates that spirituality plays a cardinal role in enhancing sporting performance, personal growth, and well-being. Numerous researchers have attempted to examine the nexus of religion, spirituality, and psychological constructs to understand their role in sport and exercise performance and contexts. Despite the findings that spiritual well-being plays a crucial role in athletic excellence and as a buffer against a wide range of stressors and negative behaviors, it has received scant attention in the sport and exercise psychology literature. This present commentary examines the role of spirituality in sport psychology literature and proposes that spiritual well-being be incorporated into sport and exercise psychology training and consultancy to improve and enhance service delivery. This article also identifies a number of key areas for future research and practice.

Examining an Adapted Version of Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being in Sport

Examining an Adapted Version of Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being in Sport

Examining the relationships among the coaching climate, life skills development and well-being in sport

Using Benson and Saito’s framework for positive youth development, we investigated the relationships between the coaching climate, young people’s perceived life skills development within sport, and their psychological well-being. British youth sport participants ( N = 326, Mage = 13.81, range = 11–18 years) completed a survey assessing the coaching climate, participants’ perceived life skills development (teamwork, goal setting, time management, emotional skills, interpersonal communication, social skills, leadership, and problem solving and decision making) and psychological well-being (self-esteem, positive affect, and satisfaction with life). In all analyses, the coaching climate was positively related to young peoples’ perceived development of life skills within sport and their psychological well-being. Total life skills development (a summative score of all eight life skills scores) was positively related to all three psychological well-being indicators – providing support for the “pile-up” effect – and partially mediated the relationships between the coaching climate and participants’ psychological well-being. Interpretation of the results indicated that coaches should foster the development of multiple life skills in youth sport participants, as they are associated with participants’ psychological well-being. One way this can be achieved is through autonomy-supportive coaching behaviours.

Motivational trajectories and well-being in sport—A phenomenological study of running by feel.

Motivational trajectories and well-being in sport—A phenomenological study of running by feel.

An investigation of the generalisability of buoyancy from academics to athletics

Buoyancy, the ability of an individual to handle everyday setbacks, has been applied successfully to academics. The purposes of this study were to determine if buoyancy can be successfully applied to the domain of sports (i.e. athletic buoyancy), to examine the relationship between academic and athletic buoyancy, and to determine the efficacy of five sport-oriented predictors (5Cs), confidence, coordination, commitment, composure, and control, on both athletic and academic buoyancy. Collegiate sport club athletes (N = 285) completed a one-time survey assessing their athletic buoyancy, academic buoyancy, and each of the sport-oriented 5Cs. Results supported a two-factor buoyancy model, with a moderate correlation (r = .61) between the two latent factors. Multiple linear regressions revealed that the 5Cs model accounted for 26% of the variance in athletic buoyancy, and 15% of the variance in academic buoyancy. Sport composure was the only significant predictor of athletic buoyancy, while sport confidence and sport composure were both significant predictors of academic buoyancy. Sport composure positively predicted both academic and athletic buoyancy, though the magnitude varied by domain. These results indicate a multidimensional buoyancy structure and generalisability across academic and athletic domains, with potential implications for athletic performance and training, adaptability, and well-being in sport.

Neuroplus biofeedback improves attention, resilience, and injury prevention in elite soccer players.

Performance and injury prevention in elite soccer players are typically investigated from physical-tactical, biomechanical, and metabolic perspectives. However, executive functions, visuospatial abilities, and psychophysiological adaptability or resilience are also fundamental for efficiency and well-being in sports. Based on previous research associating autonomic flexibility with prefrontal cortical control, we designed a novel integrated autonomic biofeedback training method called Neuroplus to improve resilience, visual attention, and injury prevention. Herein, we introduce the method and provide an evaluation of 20 elite soccer players from the Italian Soccer High Division (Serie-A): 10 players trained with Neuroplus and 10 trained with a control treatment. The assessments included psychophysiological stress profiles, a visual search task, and indexes of injury prevention, which were measured pre- and posttreatment. The analysis showed a significant enhancement of physiological adaptability, recovery following stress, visual selective attention, and injury prevention that were specific to the Neuroplus group. Enhancing the interplay between autonomic and cognitive functions through biofeedback may become a key principle for obtaining excellence and well-being in sports. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that shows improvement in visual selective attention following intense autonomic biofeedback.

Developmental Experiences and Well-Being in Sport: The Importance of the Coaching Climate

The present study explored the relationships between the coaching climate, youth developmental experiences (personal and social skills, cognitive skills, goal setting, and initiative) and psychological well-being (self-esteem, positive affect, and satisfaction with life). In total, 202 youth sport participants (Mage = 13.4, SD = 1.8) completed a survey assessing the main study variables. Findings were consistent with Benson and Saito’s (2001) framework for youth development. In all analyses, the coaching climate was related to personal and social skills, cognitive skills, goal setting, and initiative. Mediational analysis also revealed that the development of personal and social skills mediated the relationships between the coaching climate and all three indices of psychological well-being (self-esteem, positive affect, and satisfaction with life). Interpretation of the results suggests that coaches should display autonomy-supportive coaching behaviors because they are related to the developmental experiences and psychological well-being of youth sport participants.

Goal striving and well-being in sport: the role of contextual and personal motivation.

This investigation sought to clarify mixed results in the literature exploring coach behaviors, basic psychological needs, goal motivation, and well- and ill-being. Regional-level team sport athletes (N = 241) completed questionnaires on the aforementioned variables at the beginning of the season. A subsample (n = 70) provided saliva samples to assess physical ill-being. At the end of the season, athletes (n = 98) reported their goal motivation and attainment. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that coach behaviors were related to needs satisfaction and thwarting, which were related to autonomous and controlled goal motives respectively. Autonomous motives were related to well- and ill-being; controlled motives were only related to ill-being. Over time, only end-of-season autonomous goal motives were related to goal attainment. The findings provide an insight into how coaches can facilitate optimum goal striving and well-being in their athletes.

Self-compassion and Eudaimonic Well-Being During Emotionally Difficult Times in Sport

Evidence is emerging for the potential usefulness of self-compassion (Neff in Self Identity 2:223–250, 2003a) in young women athletes’ sport experiences (Mosewich et al. in J Sport Exerc Psychol 33:103–123, 2011, J Sport Exerc Psychol 35:514–524, 2013). However, it is unclear whether extending compassion towards the self contributes to or thwarts athletes’ psychological well-being (i.e., eudaimonic well-being) in sport. The purpose of this study was to examine self-compassion during emotionally difficult sport situations in relation to eudaimonic well-being in sport. Women athletes (N = 137; M age = 19 years) completed an online survey including measures of self-compassion, eudaimonic well-being, and reactions to hypothetical, emotionally difficult, sport scenarios. Pearson bivariate correlations were used to examine relationships among study variables, and Preacher and Hayes’ (Behav Res Methods 40:879–891, 2008) SPSS macro was used to explore models of indirect effects. The relationship between self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being in the sport domain was generally supported, with significant correlations between self-compassion and autonomy, meaning and vitality in sport, and body appreciation (rs = .18–.47, p < .05). Significant indirect effects suggest that (1) self-compassionate athletes have greater eudaimonic well-being in sport primarily through higher positivity and perseverance, as well as lower passivity in reaction to emotionally difficult sport situations, and (2) self-critical reactions suppress the relationships between self-compassion and eudaimonia in sport. The pattern of findings suggests that compassionately relating to the self might be advantageous for aspects of young women athletes’ psychological well-being in sport. Specifically, having a kind and understanding self-attitude might nurture constructive reactions to emotionally difficult sport situations. Findings can inform future research aimed at better understanding how self-compassion is linked with optimal psychological functioning in sport.

Transformational Leadership and Well-Being in Sports: The Mediating Role of Need Satisfaction

The present study examined the direct and indirect effect of coaches’ transformational leadership on athlete well-being. Participants were 184 floorball players who completed questionnaires about perceived transformational leadership from their coach, need satisfaction, and sport-related well-being. The analyses revealed positive relationships between perceived transformational leadership, need satisfaction, and well-being. The results also demonstrated that the positive effect of transformational leadership on athletes’ well-being was mediated by athletes’ need satisfaction. Furthermore, the results from this study add the previously unexplored outcome athlete well-being to the positive effects of transformational leadership in sports, thereby extending our knowledge of the transformational leadership process.

Mediating Effect of Well-being in Sport on Psychological Skills and Life Adjustment

The purpose of the present study was to develop a Chinese version of Coach-Athlete Inventory to measure the coach-athlete relationship. The study included two procedures. The procedure one was to develop inventory items based on 23-items coach-athlete questionnaire (Jowett & Ntoumanis, 2004). For procedure one, 209 athletes from collegiate team Divison I were participated. All participants were agreed to complete the Chinese version Coach-Athlete Inventory. The collected data was analyzed with exploratory factor analysis to test the factorial structure, item discrimination, and internal consistency of the inventory. The participants for procedure two were 380 athletes from collegiate team Divison I. The data was analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis to examine the reliability and validity of the inventory. The results of procedure one showed a three-factor Chinese version Coach-Athlete Inventory with 14 items, named closeness, commitment, and complementarily; the three constructs could account 73.76% of total explained variance, Cronbach's α of the constructs ranged from .87 ~ .90. Meanwhile, the index of overall model was found to be good overall fit, included construct reliability, convergent validity, and discriminate validity. Our findings concluded that the inventory had good reliability and validity, and the inventory can be used as a platform to measure the association between coach-athlete relationship.

Mediating Effect of Well-being in Sport on Psychological Skills and Life Adjustment

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effect of well-being in sport on psychological skills and life adjustment. Two hundred forty-seven male and one hundred-thirteen female athletes from different types of athletic teams of National Taiwan Sport University were participated. In this study Athletic Psychological Skills Inventory (5 subscales), The Well-being in Sport Scale (2 subscales) and WHO Questionnaire on Quality of Life: BREFF-Taiwan Version (4 domains) were used. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to determine the statistical differences. The results of this study indicated that all effects among psychological skills and physical health, social relationship, and environment were full mediated by the sport well-being. However, the effects between psychological skills and psychological domain were partially mediated by sport well-being. Therefore, this study concludes that collegiate athletes, who have better psychological skills would enhance the well-being in sport, and then increase the level of physical health, social relationship and environment. Results of this study provided suggestions for psychological skills, sport well-being and life adjustment, and future relevant research issues are discussed.

Revs and Psychos: Role, Impact and Interaction of Sport Chaplains and Sport Psychologists within English Premiership Soccer

Despite an increased focus on spirituality and athlete well-being in sport (Watson, 2011), there is limited research regarding those who provide support to the athlete in these areas. The aim of this study was to explore the practice of sport psychologists and sport chaplains within professional soccer, and identify potential for working partnerships. By interviewing three psychologists and four chaplains who are employed currently within English Premiership soccer, it was revealed that significant overlap in their roles existed. The psychologists and chaplains identified barriers that restricted support offered to players, which may be addressed by working cooperatively in the future.

Transplant Recipients' Experience of Participation at the World Transplant Games in Gothenburg 2011: A Study of Psychological Well-being

The World Transplant Games (WTG) is a biennial worldwide sporting event. Most published research relating to WTG has focused on medical issues. However, few studies have examined factors such as psychological wellbeing in sport for this group. The purpose of this study is to provide a description of the English-speaking participants at the WTG and analyze five research questions linked to how (1) health, (2), satisfaction with sports participation (3), perceived com- petence, (4) health as a benefit of sport participation (5), and impaired health as a cost of sports participation, are related to psychological factors in sports. There were a total of 253 participants with a mean age of 43.6 years, originating from seven English-speaking nations. Four validated psychological questionnaires were used, as well as a screening of back- ground data of the group. The main characteristics of the English-speaking population were university educated middle age men with kidney transplants, who had participated in athletics at a rather high competitive level before the transplant. The main statistical findings particularly showed that satisfaction with sport participation, perceived health and health as a benefit were the dependent variables that explained most of the variance in the analysis. In conclusion, perceived compe- tence, enjoyment and health seem to be critical psychological factors that essentially act as prime motivating factors be- hind participation in games such as WTG, and ultimately lead to a sense of psychological well-being among the partici- pants. Finally, there is a discussion of future research, as well as the practical value of the results.

An Investigation of Coach Behaviors, Goal Motives, and Implementation Intentions as Predictors of Well-Being in Sport

The present study aimed to expand upon Smith, Ntoumanis, and Duda's (2007) research by investigating the influence of coach behaviors and implementation intentions on goal striving in sport. Structural equation modeling analysis with a sample of 108 athletes revealed coach behaviors as predictors of goal motives, which in turn predicted psychological well-being after 8 weeks. Supplementary regression analyses showed no interaction between autonomous goal motives and implementation intentions; however, a synergistic effect was identified for controlled goal motives such that controlled motives furnished with implementation intentions resulted in lower well-being than controlled motives alone. In further analyses, the motives underlying an implementation intention were found to mediate the paths from goal motives to well-being. The findings are discussed in terms of the roles played by goal motives, implementation intentions, and implementation intention motives during goal striving.