Going for Gold: Understanding Talent Development Through the Lived Experiences of US Female Olympians

Using qualitative methods design, this research examined the talent development process of US female Olympians. In addition, models of talent development in gifted women in other domains assisted in understanding the development of talent in elite female athletes. Interpretation of the experiences of the participants indicated that the models of talent development for gifted women contribute to an understanding of female athletic talent development. Yet, models presented in both sport and other professional domains do not capture all aspects of talent development as lived by the participants in this project. Within current models of talent development for athletes there is no discussion regarding what occurs after an athlete reaches the elite level of participation. A more fully integrated model of talent development must also include the contributions of athletic talent development toward development as fully actualized human beings. The participants in this research acknowledged significant development that occurred following their elite level of participation.     

The Impact of Biodata Item Attributes on Validity and Socially Desirable Responding

Mael's taxonomy of biodata item attributes is applied to two biodata instruments in order to investigate the relationship between item attributes and (1) validity and (2) socially desirable responding. The results show a strong relationship between item attributes and validity, with items that are more historical, external, objective, discrete, and verifiable and less job relevant displaying stronger validities. Weaker relationships are observed between the item attributes and socially desirable responding. Implications of these results for building a clearinghouse for documentation of objective biodata items is discussed.     

Individual experiences of an acceptance-based pain management programme: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Acceptance of pain has been found to play an important role in adjusting to chronic pain, and the evidence-base is growing with regards to the effectiveness of acceptance-based interventions such as acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness and contextual cognitive behavioural therapy within pain management settings. Despite the growing interest in such interventions, previous studies into acceptance-based pain management programmes (PMPs) are quantitative and the exact processes at work during such programmes remain unknown. This study aims to add to previous quantitative research in the area by qualitatively exploring individual experiences of attending an acceptance-based PMP and identifying the key constituents of the programme that participants felt facilitated change. Semi-structured interviews (n = 6) were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, and five themes emerged: I’m not alone, others understand my pain, Freedom from pain taking over, A new self – one with pain, Parts of the programme participants felt facilitated change and Exercise is possible. These findings are then considered in relation to past research and relevant constructs in the literature. Implications for future research and clinical practice are also discussed alongside participant reflections and suggested areas for improvement.     

Exploring experiences of children in applying a school-based mindfulness programme to their lives

Evidence for the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for children and young people’s well-being is growing, particularly within educational settings. To date, very few studies have explored how children experience and apply mindfulness. This qualitative study investigated how children who received long-term mindfulness training applied mindfulness to their everyday lives. Year 6 Children (average age 11) were interviewed in three focus groups with their peers, in a semi-structured format, and the data was analysed using an inductive thematic analysis. The findings indicated that the children described mindfulness as assisting with their emotion regulation. Four themes were identified: (1) processes of emotion regulation (2) dysregulation prompt to apply mindfulness (3) challenges and strategies and (4) the conditions that support or hinder mindfulness use. These findings are discussed in the context of theories and evidence on emotion regulation, attachment, and mechanisms of mindfulness. Implications of these findings for future research of meditation-based approaches in schools, for example, self-compassion and kindness practices, are considered.     

Internet administration of paper-and-pencil questionnaires used in couple research: assessing psychometric equivalence

This study examined the psychometric equivalence of paper-and-pencil and Internet formats of key questionnaires used in couple research. Self-report questionnaires assessing interpersonal constructs (relationship satisfaction, communication/conflict management, partner support, emotional intimacy) and intrapersonal constructs (individual traits, psychological symptoms, contextual influences) were administered to young adults in committed dating relationships. The same measures were administered twice via paper-and-pencil and/or Internet methods over a 2-week period. Method order was counterbalanced among participants, and temporal stability was controlled. Intrapersonal and interpersonal measures generally remained reliable when administered online and demonstrated quantitative and qualitative equivalence across methods. The implications of online administration of questionnaires are discussed, and specific recommendations are made for researchers who wish to transition to online data collection.