Optimal psychological states in advanced climbers: Antecedents,characteristics, and consequences of flow and clutch states

ObjectivesOptimal psychological states (e.g., flow) are particularly valued by rock-climbers. The integrated model of flow and clutch states has shown promise for better understanding optimal states in sport psychology. The current study examined the antecedents, characteristics, and consequences of these states among rock-climbers in relation to the integrated model. A secondary objective was to compare optimal psychological states across outdoor and indoor rock-climbing contexts.DesignA sequential-explanatory (QUAN → qual) design was used.MethodNine male and four female advanced rock-climbers completed a flow questionnaire immediately after every climbing route during two separate climbing sessions (i.e., one outdoor, one indoor). Intensity sampling was used to identify participants for 13 semi-structured interviews, based on high- or low-score thresholds established by the research team. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and abductive reasoning.ResultsParticipants reported an optimal state during at least one of their climbs in 72% of their outdoor sessions and 40% of their indoor sessions. A focus on exploring routes was reported as preceding flow states, which were characterised by enjoyment of effortless movement for its own sake. In contrast, specific goals and additional risk-based pressure were reported as preceding clutch states, which were described as exerting maximal effort. After experiencing flow, participants reported additional vitality. Following clutch states, participants reported feeling accomplished, despite reporting exhaustion.ConclusionsThis study suggests potential antecedents, characteristics, and consequences of two distinct, yet overlapping, optimal states that appear to occur during both indoor and outdoor climbing. Findings extend understanding of the integrated flow and clutch state model beyond traditional sport and exercise contexts and demonstrates the utility of the model for adventure recreation. Recommendations for future research include testing, refining, and expanding the integrated model of flow and clutch.     

Doping in disabled elite sport: Perceptions,knowledge and opinions from the perspective of German and UK coaches

ObjectivesThe phenomenon of doping is rarely researched in Paralympic sport, especially from the coach perspective. This study responds directly to this gap in research by exploring coaches' doping-related perceptions, knowledge, and opinions of the current anti-doping system in order to inform future interventions specific to disabled elite sport contexts.MethodEleven coaches from Germany (n = 6) and the UK (n = 5) working across physiological (n = 7) and skill-based (n = 4) sport disciplines at an elite level (Paralympic, n = 10 and World Championship, n = 1) took part in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using abductive reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019a).FindingsFour themes were developed to capture the coaches’ perspectives. The first represents coaches’ perception that doping is an issue in Paralympic sport. The second theme shows that risk factors to dope are typically multiple and intertwined, stemming especially from financial incentives and pressure to win. Theme three captures coaches' opinion of differences in testing and education across countries due to budget, resource, or infrastructure issues. Finally, data showed that coaches prefer to refer responsibility for doping prevention to their national anti-doping organisation, rather than taking on personal responsibility for anti-doping efforts.ConclusionsAccording to the interviewed coaches, doping has the potential to be a big issue in disabled elite sport. The main risk factors of money and pressure to win (earn prize money or funding/sponsorship) are knitted together and can be additionally impacted (negatively) by a nation’s sporting system. These factors should be addressed by thinking both on an individual level (e.g., support dual careers) and a structural/policy level (e.g., aim to have minimum standards to level the global inconsistent anti-doping systems, including anti-doping education/testing). Furthermore, coaches should take their role and be proactively made aware of their responsibility in doping prevention to coach clean and protect their athletes properly.     

Understanding organizational resilience in elite sport: An exploration of psychosocial processes

ObjectivesAlthough organizational resilience research has identified the characteristics of elite sport organizations that successfully deal with significant change, further research is needed to understand how they function. The objective of this study was to explore the psychosocial processes underpinning organizational resilience in elite sport.Design and methodUsing interviews supplemented by timelines compiled from documentary analysis of public online sources, data was gathered during 43 interviews with 22 participants from 10 elite sport organizations across an 8-month period. Participant roles included chief executive officers (n = 5), directors (n = 7), board members (n = 2), middle managers (n = 4), support staff (n = 2), head coach (n = 1), and senior athlete (n = 1). Reflexive thematic analysis of the data was conducted from a critical realist standpoint.ResultsThe data analysis yielded two core processes of sensing (internal and external mechanisms, diversity of perspectives, evaluating and monitoring) and adapting (mirroring current resource availability, open and frequent communication, acute versus chronic change), and two supporting processes of strengthening resources (quality and quantity of human and financial resources, relationships as source of additional resources) and shielding from risk (internal risk mitigation, external influencing). These data were interpreted to indicate that these processes are not sequential, or temporally distinct, but instead cumulatively contribute towards an organization’s resilience capability.ConclusionsAs the first empirical investigation exploring the psychosocial processes underpinning organizational resilience in elite sport, the results provide a unique framework and practical implications to help those working in and with elite sport organizations successfully navigate uncertainty and change.     

Critical reflections on second-generation mindfulness-based interventions

ObjectivesThe purpose of this paper is to provide a critical introduction on Second-Generation Mindfulness-Based Interventions (SG-MBIs) to sport and performance psychology scholars and practitioners.MethodThis essay is written as a commentary on Roychowdhury et al.’s, (2021, this issue) article in this issue. Specifically, I apply theoretical insights from Roychowdhury et al., (2021, this issue) to the practical model of SG-MBIs.ResultsI find that SG-MBIs attempt to respond to ethical concerns with the ways that mindfulness has been commodified, secularized, and universalized through appeals to cultural authenticity.DiscussionWhile acknowledging the cultural contexts from which practices like mindfulness have been taken is important, appeals to cultural authenticity often reproduce fixed and essentializing constructions of culture and are easily coopted by neoliberal multiculturalism.ConclusionAs sport and performance psychology professionals reflect on the next generation of mindfulness-based interventions, it will be important to attend to the contextual flexibility of neoliberalism to universalize and essentialize.     

Self-compassion and body-related self-conscious emotions: Examining within- and between-person variation among adolescent girls in sport

ObjectivesSelf-compassion protects against the occurrence of negative body image experiences and may be particularly useful in defending against negative body- and appearance-related self-conscious emotions in sport. The aim of this study was to examine within- and between-person associations between self-compassion and appearance-related self-conscious emotions.Design & MethodIn a three-year longitudinal cohort study, adolescent girls involved in organized sport (N = 518, M_age = 14.02 ± 1.38) completed yearly self-reports of self-compassion, body- and appearance-related shame, guilt, embarrassment, and envy.ResultsBased on findings from multilevel models, higher levels of both average and time-varying self-compassion were associated with lower levels of body-related shame, guilt, embarrassment, and envy. Specifically, girls reported lower levels of negatively valanced self-conscious emotions when self-compassion was higher than usual.ConclusionsThese findings support previous accounts on the utility of self-compassion as a buffer against negative body image experiences and extend these findings to appearance-related self-conscious emotions in the sport context. In light of the declining levels of self-compassion for girls in adolescence, it is important to focus intervention efforts on cultivating self-compassion to protect girls from negative body-related emotional experiences in sport.     

学龄前留守儿童亲子依恋对执行功能的影响:祖孙依恋的调节作用和中介作用

本研究探究了学龄前留守儿童亲子依恋、祖孙依恋与执行功能之间的关系,并进一步分析了祖孙依恋的调节作用和中介作用。对155名南昌市农村地区的学龄前留守儿童及其父母亲和（外）祖父母进行研究,研究工具包括亲子依恋量表（Waters Attachment Q-sort Items）和执行功能任务组。结果表明：（1）学龄前留守儿童亲子依恋与祖孙依恋、执行功能子成分抑制控制呈显著正相关,祖孙依恋与执行功能子成分抑制控制和认知灵活性呈显著正相关;（2）祖孙依恋在亲子依恋对学龄前留守儿童执行功能子成分抑制控制的影响之间存在调节效应;（3）祖孙依恋在亲子依恋对学龄前留守儿童执行功能子成分抑制控制和认知灵活性的影响之间存在中介效应。结论是可通过改善亲子依恋和祖孙依恋的质量来促进儿童执行功能的发展。     

The revisionist's rubric: conceptual engineering and the discontinuity objection

This paper is about conceptual engineering (CE). Specifically, it discusses a common objection to CE, which I call the Discontinuity Objection. According to the Discontinuity Objection, CE leads to problematic discontinuities in subject and/or inquiry – making it philosophically uninteresting or irrelevant. I argue that a conceptual engineer can dismiss the Discontinuity Objection by showing that the pre-engineering concept persists through the proposed changes. In other words, the Discontinuity Objection does not apply if the proposal involves identity-preserving changes. Two existing views on identity-preserving changes are considered and rejected. I then argue that an identity-preserving conceptual change is one that allows the concept to continue to perform its function. A concept’s function is its job, its point and purpose, its role in a conceptual repertoire. In a slogan: Preserve a concept’s function, and you preserve the concept itself; preserve the concept, and you preserve the subject. The paper concludes by discussing some implications of this view.     

A threshold theory account of psychometric functions with response confidence under the balance condition

The study of thresholds for discriminability has been of long‐standing interest in psychophysics. While threshold theories embrace the concept of discrete‐state thresholds, signal detection theory discounts such a concept. In this paper we concern ourselves with the concept of thresholds from the discrete‐state modelling viewpoint. In doing so, we find it necessary to clarify some fundamental issues germane to the psychometric function (PF), which is customarily constructed using psychophysical methods with a binary‐response format. We challenge this response format and argue that response confidence also plays an important role in the construction of PFs, and thus should have some impact on threshold estimation. We motivate the discussion by adopting a three‐state threshold theory for response confidence proposed by Krantz (1969, Psychol. Rev., 76, 308–324), which is a modification of Luce's (1963, Psychol. Rev., 70, 61–79) low‐threshold theory. In particular, we discuss the case in which the practice of averaging over order (or position) is enforced in data collection. Finally, we illustrate the fit of the Luce–Krantz model to data from a line‐discrimination task with response confidence.