Perceived coach-autonomy support, basic need satisfaction and the well- and ill-being of elite youth soccer players: A longitudinal investigation

Objectives

Drawing from the basic needs theory [BNT; Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2002). An overview of self-determination theory. In E. L. Deci, & R. M. Ryan (Eds.), Handbook of self-determination research (pp. 3-33). Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press], the major purpose of the present study was to test a hypothesized sequence of temporal relationships between perceptions of coach-autonomy support, basic need satisfaction and indices of well- and ill-being. A subsidiary aim was to ascertain the assumed mediational role of basic need satisfaction in explicating the perceived autonomy support and well-/ill-being relationships over time.

Design

A field-based longitudinal design was employed.

Methods

Participants (N = 54 males) from an elite youth soccer academy in the UK completed a multi-section questionnaire tapping the targeted variables on six occasions across two competitive seasons.

Results

Multi-level regression analyses revealed that perceptions of coach-autonomy support positively predicted within-person changes and between-person mean differences in basic need satisfaction and well-being over time. Satisfaction scores for the needs for competence and relatedness were found to predict within-person changes in subjective vitality. These same needs partially mediated the coach-autonomy support-subjective vitality link over the two seasons.

Conclusions

The findings partially support the tenets of BNT, and are discussed in terms of their practical application to participants involved in an elite youth sport setting.     

Interactive voice response for relapse prevention following cognitive-behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorders: a pilot study

Relapse after alcoholism treatment is high. Alcohol Therapeutic Interactive Voice Response (ATIVR) is an automated telephone program for posttreatment self-monitoring, skills practice, and feedback. This pilot study examined feasibility of ATIVR. Participants (n = 21; 57% male) had access to ATIVR for 90 days following outpatient group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to make daily reports of mood, confidence in sobriety, urges to use substances, and actual use. Reports of relapse or risk were followed with additional questions. Participants received personalized therapist feedback based on responses, and could access recorded CBT skill reviews. Pre-post assessments included: alcohol consumption (Timeline Follow-Back), self-efficacy (Situational Confidence Questionnaire), and perceived coping ability (Effectiveness of Coping Behaviors Inventory). Participants called on 59% of scheduled days and continued making calls for an average of 84 days. Following ATIVR, participants gave feedback that ATIVR was easy to use and increased self-awareness. Participants particularly liked the therapist feedback component. Abstinence rate increased significantly during ATIVR (p = .03), and both self-efficacy and coping significantly improved from pre-CBT to post-ATIVR (p < .01). Results indicate ATIVR is feasible and acceptable. Its efficacy should be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.     

Taxonomy of Spiritual Experiences

Spiritual experiences are often associated with health crises, with little information about the structure of the experience. A taxonomic analysis was conducted on data from a group of healers, unveiling a structural model of spiritual experience comprised of three domains: circumstances, manifestation and interpretation. Circumstances included the aspects of setting, situation, and timing. Manifestation incorporated the modes of awareness and the phenomena of the experience. Components of interpretation included personal meaning and congruence with social norms. The examples reflected the orientation of the study population. Further research could examine the applicability of the taxonomy to other religious or spiritual orientations and may assist in clinical assessment of spiritual experiences.Diane Wind Wardell, Ph.D., R.N.C., H.N.C., C.H.T.P./I., and Joan C. Engebretson, Dr.P.H., R.N., H.N.C., are Associate Professors in the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Correspondence to Diane Wind Wardell, Diane.Wardell@uth.tmc.edu.     

Handling Spirituality/Religion in Professional Training: Experiences of a Sample of Muslim Psychology Students

With increasing research interest in the relationship between spirituality/religion and mental health, the present study uses semi-structured interviews on a select group of Muslim students to explore their understanding and handling of spirituality in a secular training programme. Their understanding of spirituality, its perceived role in therapy and their training experiences are subjected to qualitative analysis using the framework approach (Ritchie & Spencer, 1994. In A. Bryman & R.G. Burgess (Eds), Analysing Qualitative Data. London: Routledge). All five participants perceived spirituality as central to human functioning. Probes into their training experience uncovered issues of bias against religious applicants, apprehension about demonstrating religious commitment, fear of punishment for compromising religious integrity, better rapport with Muslim patients but general uncertainty about handling spiritual issues in therapy, and a strong desire for the integration of spirituality/religion in the program.Cynthia Joan Patel, M.A., is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Kwazulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa. She is a Registered Counselling and Research Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa). Her research interests include women and religion, attitudes toward abortion, and the meaning of work in women’s lives. Armas E. E. Shikongo, M.A., is a Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Namibia. His research area is the psychology of spirituality.     

A Combined- Constructionist Therapeutic Approach To Couples Experiencing Erectile Dysfunction: Part I

Marked changes have occurred in the conceptualization and treatment of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in the past two decades. Emphasis has shifted to the role of biomedical and organic factors using medical and surgical interventions in the etiology of sexual dysfunction, deemphasizing the quality of the overall couple relationship. However, by using only a medical approach, the couple is left with balancing the positive and negative facets of a considerably different relationship with sex now in their lives and their relationship. This paper is Part I of a two part article on erectile dysfunction. Part I presents information on the bio-medical factors that may be related to ED and the medical model treatment approaches. Part II presents information on the psychological and systemic issues that may be related to erectile dysfunction, encouraging the use of a combined-constructionist framework.     

Sex differences in reasoning and emotion about altruism

This study examined sex differences in the resolution of prosocial dilemmas involving self-sacrifice. Women and men between 17 and 68 years of age were presented with hypothetical situations necessitating a choice between self and other, and asked to decide what they would choose to do. In addition, participants were asked why they made the choices they did and how they felt about them. Participants usually made the self-sacrificing choice, with no differences found between women and men in the distribution of self and other choices. Choices were justified on the basis of the respondents' own needs or those of the other person, conflict was minimized, or reasons were offered that involved stereotyped statements, interpersonal concerns, empathy, internalized affects and values, or a judgment about the capacity to help. Modes of reasoning differed somewhat between the sexes, with women using more empathic reasoning than men with other choces, and attributing their self choices more to minimal conflict and less to concern for the other's interests. There were also sex differences in participants' self-reported feelings about the choices they made. Specifically, there was evidence that women experienced more conflict than men about other choices and had more positive feelings than men did about their self choices. Several interpretations of these findings were discussed.