Imagery and self-efficacy in the injury context

ObjectivesTo develop and test the factorial validity of an adapted version of the Athletic Injury Imagery Questionnaire (AIIQ-2: Sordoni, Hall, & Forwell, 2002). To explore the effect of an imagery intervention on self-efficacy in the sport injury context.DesignStudy 1, cross-sectional; Study 2, multiple-base line.MethodIn Study 1 the AIIQ-2 was adapted to include a pain management subscale. This adapted imagery questionnaire (AIIQ-3) was then administered to 291 injured athletes (M age = 28.64 years, SD = 14.30). In Study 2 using a multiple-baseline single subject design, the effects of an imagery intervention on self-efficacy prior to physiotherapy treatment of five athletes with a Type B malleolar fracture (M age = 49.50 years, SD = 16.56) was examined. A follow-up post-experimental interview explored participants' perceptions of the intervention.ResultsStudy 1, confirmatory factor analysis revealed evidence for the factorial validity of the AIIQ-3. Study 2, results from the multiple-base line design demonstrated that for two out of the five participants there were observable and statistically meaningful increases in task efficacy, with the same result in three out of five participants for coping efficacy. The post-interview results revealed that all intervention participants perceived the intervention to be beneficial and effective beyond the general information provided.ConclusionsThe results are discussed in terms of overcoming an inherent weakness in previous injury-related imagery research and the applied implications for the time-course of rehabilitation.     

Retrospective and concurrent perspectives of the transition into senior professional female football within the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom (UK), professional female football has grown exponentially in recent years, including with the advent of the Women's Super League. Given this growth, the present study aimed to (a) to explore the junior-to-senior transition in the UK female football players (i.e., perceived demands, barriers, resources, and coping strategies); (b) to analyze how changes in the UK female football context (i.e., increased professionalization) influenced players' perception of the transition. Six professional female soccer players from two groups took part in the study; senior athlete (N = 3) and transitional athletes (N = 3). To acquire a holistic understanding, semi-structured interviews were conducted with all athletes. Results highlighted transitional athletes appeared to have a different JST experience compared to the senior group, with the difference in experience attributed to the increased professionalization of female football. In particular, demands associated with being a dual career athlete and greater difficulty balancing the competing demands. As a result, transitional athletes also engaged in more coping strategies. This study provides valuable findings in relation to the JST in professional female football and the context of the increasing professionalization of female football in the UK.     

Parents about parenting dual career athletes: A systematic literature review.

ObjectivesTo establish the scientific literature on the parents’ view as supporters of dual career (DC) athletes, and to highlight practical implications for the development of education programmes to empower parents in this role.Methodology: The systematic literature review included four electronic databases, from which 438 articles published in English between 1999 and 2019 were retrieved.ResultsA total of 14 studies achieved the eligibility criteria (i.e., focus on DC, involving parents as participants) for inclusion. Results show that the 14 studies included in the review were characterised by sample sizes <15 to >50 parents of individual and/or team sports athletes, involving data collection based on interviews, semi-structured interviews focus groups, questionnaires and a survey. A thematic synthesis highlighted a two primary constructs: the individual level and the inter-individual level, respectively. The individual level comprised two main themes: Approach to both Sport and Education, and Stressors and Coping, which included five aspects of parenting. The inter-individual level presented three themes: Relationship with the Athlete; Relationship with the Sport Environment and Relationship with the Academic Environment.ConclusionsFindings highlighted a relevant parental role in supporting DC athletes and partial information on parental support strategies. In conclusions, the limited sample size and typology of sports, and the partial representativeness of countries have impacted the global application of the main findings. Furthermore, the need of an educational programme for parents and the need of regular parents-athlete-teacher/coach engagement were considered crucial to facilitate successful parental interventions at academic and/or sports levels and to limit the potential negative effects of DC parenting.     

Examining profiles of the big five and sensation seeking among competitive climbers

The present study sought to identify distinct personality profiles in competitive climbers (N = 331, Mean age = 29.85, SD = 10.92), and also sought to explore whether these climbers differed in their sensation seeking tendencies based on these personality profiles. Employing a cross-sectional design, participants completed measures of the big five personality dimensions (agreeableness; conscientiousness; extraversion; neuroticism; openness to experience) and sensation seeking (boredom susceptibility; experience seeking; disinhibition; thrill and adventure seeking). Latent profile analysis identified four distinct big five personality profiles (Curious and Impulsive; Emotionally Unstable; Healthy; and Measured and Compliant). MANCOVA and follow-up ANCOVAs demonstrated significant differences between the four personality profiles in relation to thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, and disinhibition. The findings suggest that the identification of distinct personality profiles using a person-centred approach is a useful way of distinguishing and optimizing typical behaviors and preferences in adventure sports in the future.     

Self-monitoring and public posting improve competitive youth cyclists' training performance

This study investigated the effects of self-monitoring and public posting on the cycling performance of competitive youth cyclists. We measured three primary dependent variables: performance volume, intensity precision, and performance-duration deviation. In addition, we evaluated self-monitoring accuracy and social validity. The participants were three males aged 14–16 years. We used an ABAB design to evaluate an intervention package that consisted primarily of self-monitoring and public posting. Athletes self-monitored their performance after training using an online summative Google Form. The coach publicly posted performance-based rankings on the social media application WhatsApp. Results indicate that the intervention package positively improved all performance measures across all athletes. Social-validity measures were also favorable.     

Executive functions in children engaging in open- and closed-skilled sports

Executive functions (EFs) are an important skill set for human cognition as well as achievement and can be separated into different components (inhibition, switching, updating). To date, it remains poorly understood whether the sport type children engage in is related to differences in their EFs. Thus, in the present study, we investigated whether children with regular engagement in open- and closed-skilled sports perform differently on tasks assessing inhibition, switching, and updating skills. Cross-sectional data from 113 children aged 8–13 years was used, of those 42 children engaged exclusively in open-skilled sports (e.g., soccer), 44 engaged exclusively in closed-skilled sports (e.g., swimming), and 27 engaged in both sport types as indicated by parental report. Children took part in three computerized tasks assessing their inhibitory, switching, and updating skills. Additionally, their verbal-reasoning skills, motor abilities, and aerobic fitness were assessed using acknowledged tasks. Results showed no differences with respect to children’s inhibitory and updating skills among the groups. However, it was found that children engaged in open-skilled sports showed lower switch costs in the switching task as compared to children engaged in closed-skilled sports. Follow-up analyses demonstrated that this held particularly true for children with a high level of engagement in open-skilled sports. Our findings indicate that children with a regular participation in open-skilled sports show higher switching skills as peers with a regular engagement in closed-skilled sports, suggesting that children’s experience in a dynamic, unpredictable sport exercise may be closely related to their EFs.     

Interpersonal perceptions of personality traits in elite coach-athlete dyads

IntroductionThe extent to which coaches and athletes can effectively work together is an essential consideration in the pursuit of athletic success. This is particularly important at the elite level due to the high pressures on tangible outcomes, such as reaching the podium of a major competition. This study sought to explore and explain how both coaches and athletes identify personality traits in themselves and their partners to manage and maintain a positive relationship.MethodsUsing a mixed methodological design underpinned by critical realism, four elite coach-athlete dyads (four male coaches, one male athlete, three female athletes) were purposefully recruited from a single sport. Each participant completed the 44-item Big Five Inventory (John & Srivastava, 1999) on their own and their partner’s perceived personality traits. The data generated were used to inform the discussions in follow-up, individual semi-structured interviews with all participants.ResultsThe interview data were analysed using thematic analysis, which generated three higher themes and seven lower order themes. The three higher order themes were perceived compatibility, relationship persona and collective personality.ConclusionThe present investigation has identified what coaches and athletes perceive to be the key personality characteristics to manage and maintain a successful working relationship.     

Group dynamics in Canadian recreational team sports later in life

As interest and participation in physical activity later in life increases, evidence is needed to inform the promotion, design, and delivery of community-based sport for older people. One important consideration is the dynamics of the group, which may influence experiences of team sport among aging populations. A qualitative study was undertaken to explore group dynamics concepts and perceived outcomes experienced by older adults involved in Canadian community-based recreational teams. Seventeen mid-life and older adults (M_age = 64.06, SD = 6.40) who previously participated in youth team sport and were currently involved in adult recreational team sport participated in semi-structured phone interviews. Results were organized into categories outlined in the conceptual framework for the study of sport teams (Eys et al., 2020). Issues specific to team dynamics experienced in older adulthood are highlighted and relate to competitiveness, sport specific skills/knowledge, competitive level, motivational climate, interdependence, team stability, group norms, roles, cohesion, leadership, social support, conflict, enjoyment, personal development, and social connections. Findings underscore the relevance of team dynamics in older adulthood and importance of understanding individual and environmental attributes in relation to group processes, structures, emergent states, and outcomes specific to sport for older adults. Directions for future research and practical implications to encourage greater involvement and sustained participation in team sport throughout the lifespan are discussed.     

Coping Style Following Acute Stress in Competitive Sport

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain coping styles among competitive athletes in response to various acute stressors. Specifically, the authors used a 134-item survey to measure approach and avoidance coping styles, with task-focused and emotion-focused coping tendencies nested hierarchically as subdimensions under each. Australian and U.S. college-aged participants indicated the extent to which they used approach, avoidance, task-focused, and emotion-focused coping strategies (a 4-factor model) in response to selected acute stressors experienced during sport competition. The authors computed confirmatory factor analysis to test the theoretically driven model. The criterion loading of .30 and above for each of the factors reduced the survey to 65 items. Findings indicated stronger links between the 2 approach constructs of task- and emotion-focused coping than between the 2 avoidance constructs of those subdimensions. The goodness-of-fit indices for the 4-factor model were 0.58 and 0.57 for Australian and U.S. samples, respectively, and .71 overall. Concomitant low correlations between the 2 approach (0.18) and the 2 avoidance dimensions (0.43) reflected relatively high residuals between stressors. In general, psychometric analyses suggest that coping style may be more prevalent in some situations than others, lending partial support for the transactional model of coping.