Contemporary Issues in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Missouri Western State University

William Russell, PhD, Dept. of HPER

What is Sport Psychology?

2 main objectives:1. To understand how

psychological factors affect in individual’s performance

2. To understand how participation in sport and exercise affects one’s psychological development, health, and well-being.

What Sport and Exercise Psychologists Do: Research role Teaching role Consulting role Policy Making / advocating role

Global Sport Psychology Specialties:1. Clinical Sport Psychology

Have training in PSYCHOLOGY to learn about diagnose and treat emotional disorders

Licensed by state boards to treat clinical conditions Have additional training in sports & exercise sciences

2. Educational Sport Psychology: Extensive training in sport sciences – have large background in

psychology Serves as mental coach / mental trainer – works through

individual/group sessions and teaches the development of psychological skills

Sport and Exercise Psychology Orientations:1. Psychophysiological

Orientation: Best way to study behavior

during sport / exercise is by examining physiological processes in the brain; brain-body connections

EX: using biofeedback to train biathletes to shoot between heartbeats; examining changes in serotonin as explanation for psychological benefit of exercise

Sport and Exercise Psychology Orientations:2. Social Psychological

Orientation Assumption is behavior is

determined by interchange between person and their environment

EX: How does leader behavior influence team cohesion; Are people with high SPA more comfortable in same-gender exercise settings?

Sport and Exercise Psychology Orientations:3. Cognitive-Behavioral

Orientation: Emphasis is on athlete’s /

exercisers thoughts and behaviors

EX: Is there a self-fulfilling prophecy linking self-talk and batting slumps?

Main Organizations involved in Sport and Exercise Psychology:

International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP) www.issponline.org

North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA) www.naspspa.org

The Sport Psychology Academy (SPA) www.aahperd.org

Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP) www.aaasponline.org

American Psychological Association Div. 47 (APA, Div. 47) www.psyc.unt.edu/apadiv47

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) www.acsm.org

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) www.usoc.org

Membership Comparisons of AAASP and NASPSPA:

Interest Areas

Ex. & Sp Psych Motor Learning / Control Motor Development

n = 258 n=266 n=155

38% 39% 23%

Psychologists Sport Science Others:

N=495 N=572 N=40

45% 52% 3%

Applied Sport Psychology: Sport Psychology and It’s Growing Pains: Concerned with extending theory/research to educate coaches,

athletes, and parents regarding goals for facilitating optimal sport involvement and performance,

Usually involves individual/group consulting and counseling Many specific concepts (goal setting, imagery, concentration, relaxation,

imagery) BUT General goal is teaching athletes mental skills necessary to perform consistently

and realize their potential as people and athletes.

Focal Areas of Applied Sport Psychology:

1. Performance enhancement / intervention

2. Social Psychology

3. Health and Exercise

1. Performance Enhancement / Intervention: Focus is on performance

improvements in any any achievement settingachievement setting

Also concerned with effects of interventions on well-being of sport / exercise participants

Examples: Stress Inoculation

Training (SIT) with athletes

Attentional Training effectiveness

Flow experiences in sport

2. Social Psychology Emphasis Uses theory / research to focus on

group processes in sport & exercise settings

Social factors are examined as they relate to athletes, coach, team, and spectators

Examples of special interests: Achievement motivation

(Achievement Goal Theory) Moral development through sport Peer relationships in physical activity

and sport Youth sports (The reverse-

dependency trap) Social Physique Anxiety in Sport and

Exercise Settings (A problem at both ends of the spectrum)

3. Health and Exercise:

Focuses on role of psych. Factors in exercise; as they pertain to resistance to disease development & remediation, coping with stress, and health promotion

Primary interest is link between mental and physical health.

Examples of special interest areas: Problem-focused vs. emotion focused

coping and health Hardiness and disease risk (Control,

Challenge, Commitment) Exercise and Psychoneuroimmunology Psychological benefits of exercise

Major Splits in Recent Years within the Field:

Sport Psychology

Health Psychology

Exercise Psychology

Sport

Psychology

Why the Need for Exercise Psychology?

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Prevalence of risk factors for CHD in the general US population for 1980 - 2005

Why the Need for Exercise Psychology?

Behaviors are easier to maintain in environments that are supportive of that behavior- for better ….. Or worse…

Sample Interest Areas within Exercise Psychology: Designing exercise programs to maximize

psych. Benefits Exercise addictions Exercise adoption, maintenance, and

adherence Exercise as a stress management technique Gender / Sex-role influences on exercise Overuse injuries in exercise settings The runners/exercisers’ high Psychotherapeutic influences of exercise for

depression Psychological benefits for specific

populations

The Certification Issue: AAASPRequired Coursework for becoming an AAASP certified consultantEITHER SPORT SCIENCE OR PSYCHOLOGY COURSES

Courses Description

1. Professional ethics 1 course

2. Sport psychology 3 courses in all subdisciplines

3. Research Design, Stats or 1 course in any of these areas

psychological assessment

4. Biological bases of behavior 1 course in comparative psychology; physio

psychology

5. Cognitive Affective bases Course in cognition, motor development or motor learning

6. Social Bases of behavior 1 course in social psychology

The Certification Issue: AAASPRequired Coursework for becoming an AAASP certified consultantPRIMARILY SPORT SCIENCE COURSES:Course Description1. Biomechanical / physiological bases 1 course in kinesio., Ex. Physio,

Biomechanics2. Historical, philosophy, sociology 1 course in this area of sport sci3. Skills, techniques, analysis 1 methods course in sport area

PRIMARILY PSYCH COURSES:1. Psychopathology 1 course in abnormal2. Counseling skills course work to foster basic

counseling skills3. Individual Behavior 1 course in developmental,

personality theory, individual differences

Supervised Consulting Experience:Verification of at least 400 hours of supervised experience in exercise and sport

psychology

Achievement Goal Theory:

3 major factors in determining the motivation levels of children in youth sport settings:

1. Goal Orientation Task-orientation – success is defined as self-referent

improvement Ego-orientation – success is defined by social comparison and

out-doing others2. Motivational Climate

Mastery climate – focus is on learning, effort, cooperative strategies, and skill development

Performance climate – competitive, beating teammates, demonstrating superiority over others

3. Perceived ability High – greater competence Low – less competence

Ego-oriented children seek competence through comparison

Ego orientation may undermine the value attached to fairness and justice in sport settings

Who would you most want to have as a young athlete? Hi task/hi ego? Hi task/low ego? Low task/High ego? Low task/Low ego?