A pilot exploration of the use of compassionate images in a group of self‐critical people

Self‐criticism has long been associated with a variety of psychological problems and is often a key focus for intervention in psychotherapy. Recent work has suggested that self‐critics have underelaborated and underdeveloped capacities for compassionate self‐soothing and warmth. This pilot study developed a diary for monitoring self‐attacking and self‐soothing thoughts and images. It also explored the personal experiences of a group of volunteer self‐critics from the local depression support group who were given training in self‐soothing and self‐compassion. Although using small numbers, this study suggests the potential value of developing more complex methodologies for studying the capacity for self‐compassion, interventions to increase self‐compassion (including imagery techniques), and their effects on mental health.     

Effective Ways to Develop and Maintain Robust Sport-Confidence: Strategies Advocated by Sport Psychology Consultants

Based on recent evidence, this study identified 10 strategies advocated by sport psychology consultants as effective at developing and maintaining robust sport-confidence in athletes. Due to the study's exploratory nature, qualitative interviews were conducted and content analyzed. Six themes emerged for developing robust sport-confidence and 4 emerged for maintaining robust sport-confidence. Findings reveal a need to develop an athlete's signature strengths, increase pressure experienced in training, and identify broad stable sources of confidence to develop robust sport-confidence. Consultants reported that maintaining robust sport-confidence occurs through constant development. Theoretical implications and future research directions are discussed.     

Assessing Achievement Goals in Sport: Caveats for Consultants and a Case for Contextualization

This paper advises practitioners of the limitations of employing nomothetic research tools for the idiographic assessment of athletes' achievement goal orientations. Consultants are encouraged to appreciate the scoring trends of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ; Duda & Nicholls, 1992) and the Perceptions of Success Questionnaire (POSQ; Roberts, Treasure, & Balague, 1998) and to recognize that the measures may not bestow them with accurate and meaningful information on an athlete's motivational responses in the contexts of competition and practice. The contextual sensitivity of the TEOSQ and the POSQ is explored empirically among a sample of 179 high-level team and individual athletes. Repeated measures ANOVAs with follow-up paired t -tests illustrated how performers' goal orientations for competition differed significantly from their overall sport goal orientation. The findings are discussed with reference to the implications for practitioners and the development of appropriate contextual assessments of achievement goals at nomothetic and idiographic levels.     

Investigating the Relationship Between Achievement Goals and Process Goals in Rugby Union Players

The present study investigated the relationship between achievement goal orientations and process goals in a sample of rugby union players. Participants were aged 14–45 years (M + SD: 24.31 + 6.02) and ranged from Club to National level. There were 78 males and 72 females with a mean of 9.17 years experience. Achievement goals were measured using an instrument developed by Harwood, Wilson, and Hardy (2002) Miller, M. B. 1995. Coefficient alpha: A basic introduction from the perspectives of classical test theory and structural equation modelling. Structural Equation Modelling, 2: 255–273. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] that assesses Self-Directed Task, Self-Directed Ego, Social Approval Task, and Social Approval Ego Goal Orientations. Process goals were measured using a slightly adapted version of an instrument developed by Harwood (1997) Harwood, C. G. 1997. Pre-competition achievement goals within young sports performers, Unpublished PhD Thesis UK: Loughborough University.  [Google Scholar]. Self-Directed Task (7), Self-Directed Ego (5), Social Approval Task (6), and Social Approval Ego (2) had varying numbers of significant positive correlations with process goal variables. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that Self-Directed Task was the sole significant predictor for six of the seven process goal variables (β = .30 to .60). Those significant others who influence the achievement context should encourage high levels of Self-Directed Task and discourage high levels of Social Approval Ego goal orientation to promote a focus upon the processes of performance.     

Addressing the Relationships Among Moral Judgment Development,Authenticity, Nonprejudice,and Volunteerism

This study addresses how moral judgment development, authenticity, and nonprejudice account for variance in scores pertaining to various motivational functions underlying volunteerism in order to clarify certain problems associated with previous research that has considered such relationships. In the study, 127 participants completed measurements that pertain to these constructs. Correlations revealed that moral judgment had a negligible relationship with both authenticity and nonprejudice, thereby affirming that the former construct is distinct from the latter two. Linear regression analyses supported that moral judgment development and nonprejudice provided the strongest contributions to the variance of the considered indices of volunteer motivation. The motivational function underlying volunteerism was also recognized as an important factor that pertains to the observed contributions of variance. Findings are discussed in concert with and compared to prior considerations of relationships between moral judgment development and considerations of the moral self. Implications where moral education is concerned are also considered.     

Experimentally-induced dissociation impairs visual memory

Dissociation is a phenomenon common in a number of psychological disorders and has been frequently suggested to impair memory for traumatic events. In this study we explored the effects of dissociation on visual memory. A dissociative state was induced experimentally using a mirror-gazing task and its short-term effects on memory performance were investigated. Sixty healthy individuals took part in the experiment. Induced dissociation impaired visual memory performance relative to a control condition; however, the degree of dissociation was not associated with lower memory scores in the experimental group. The results have theoretical and practical implications for individuals who experience frequent dissociative states such as patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).     

Decision-making competence in everyday life: The roles of general cognitive styles,decision-making styles and personality

Research indicates that decision-making competence in everyday life is associated with certain decision-making styles. The aims of this article are to extend this research by examining (a) the extent to which general cognitive styles explain variance in decision-making competence over and above decision-making styles, and (b) the extent to which personality explains variance in decision-making competence over and above both types of style variable. Participants (N = 355) completed measures of everyday decision-making competence (Decision Outcomes Inventory), decision styles (Decision Style Questionnaire; Maximization Inventory), cognitive styles (the Cognitive Styles Inventory; Rational-Experience Inventory), and the Big Five personality variables (IPIP Big-Five factor scales). The results indicate that cognitive styles offer no incremental validity over decision-making styles in predicting decision-making competence, but that personality does offer substantial incremental validity over general cognitive styles and decision-making styles. Jointly decision-making styles and personality account for a substantial amount of variance in everyday decision-making competence.     

The Mini-IPIP6: Tiny yet highly stable markers of Big Six personality

We assessed the stability of a short-form six-factor personality measure over a one-year period in a large national probability sample (N = 4289). Personality was assessed using the Mini-IPIP6—a short-form measure assessing Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, and Honesty-Humility. Standardized estimates calculated using Bayesian Structural Equation Modelling (BSEM) indicated that all six personality dimensions were extremely stable. An alternative model using Maximum Likelihood estimation, in which residual item variances were associated over repeated assessments, yielded similar findings. These results highlight the stability of personality in the general population, even when assessed using short-form scales. The use of Bayesian models to examine the stability of personality and their application for study of change in specific developmental periods is discussed.