PSYCHOLOGICAL SKILLS TRAINING:Psychological Skills Training Program

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Sport Psychology(psy407)

Lesson 30

PSYCHOLOGICAL SKILLS TRAINING

In this lecture we talk about ways of implementing relaxation procedures, energizing strategies, imaging, and

hypnosis for the purpose of developing psychological skill. Our primary focus in this regard has been

facilitation of athletic performance. Learning how to focus attention, increase self-confidence, and control

the debilitating effects of anxiety and worry is important for both athletes and nonathletes.

In this lecture we will be discussing the following topics:

Effectiveness of psychological intervention programs

Differentiating between psychological skills and methods

Measurement of psychological skills

A psychological skills training program

Effectiveness of Psychological Intervention Programs

A number of literature reviews have been published that verify that planned psychological interventions and

programs are effective in enhancing athletic performance (Greenspan & Feltz, 1989; Vealey, 1994;

Weinberg & Comar, 1994).These reviews confirm that of approximately forty-five studies reviewed, thirty-

eight, or 85 percent, have found positive performance effects (Weinberg & Williams, 2001). In addition, a

number of more recent investigations have also supported the effectiveness of psychological interventions.

Psychological intervention programs are effective in increasing self-confidence, focusing attention,

energizing effort, and enhancing athletic performance.

Differentiating Between Psychological Skills and Methods

Coaches and athletes often use the terms psychological skills and psychological method as synonyms, when

they actually have different meanings. Psychological methods, techniques, or strategies refer to practices that

lead to psychological skill. Examples of psychological methods include goal setting, imagery, progressive

relaxation, meditation, self-talk, and hypnosis. Each of these psychological methods, when properly learned

and applied, lead to enhanced psychological skill. Conversely, psychological skill refer to learned or innate

characteristics of an athlete that make it possible or even likely that she will succeed in sport. Examples of

psychological skill include intrinsic motivation, self-confidence, attentional control, arousal control, anxiety

control, and general self-awareness.

Measurement of Psychological Skills

Several inventories have been developed that are designed to measure psychological skills used by athletes.

Before adopting a specific inventory, the practitioner should become familiar with the reliability, validity,

and psychometric properties of the selected inventory.

1. Psychological skills inventory for sports

The Psychological Skills Inventory for Sports (PSIS-5) was developed by Mahoney, Gabriel, and Perkins

(1987). The PSIS-5 (5th version) is a 45-item inventory that measures the psychological skills of anxiety

control, concentration, confidence, mental preparation , motivation, and team orientation.

Sport Psychology(psy407)

2. Athletic coping skills inventory

The Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI-28) was developed by Smith, Schutz, Smoll, and Ptacek (1995).

It measures the psychological skills of coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, goal setting/mental

preparation, concentration, freedom from worry, confidence and achievement motivation, and coachability.

3. Test of performance strategies

The Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) was developed by Thomas, Murphy, and Hardy (1999). It

measures a combination of methods and skills of athletes in strategic situations. Factors measured by the

TOPS in the competitive situation include self-talk, emotional control, automaticity, goal setting, imagery,

activation, negative thinking, and relaxation. Factors measured by the TOPS in the practice situation include

the same factors used in the competitive situation, with the exception that negative thinking is replaced by

attentional control.

Psychological Skills Training Program

A number of psychological skills training programs have been proposed. A sample psychological skill

training program is give below. It has seven phases.

Psychological Skills Training Program (PSTP)

Phase 1: Who is the Client?

They determine who the client is.

Phase 2: Initial Meeting with Athletes.

Initial meeting is critical

Phase 3: Education of the Sport Psychologist Relative to Activity

Period of self-education will be required to help the sport psychologist bridge the gap from being a novice

to being fully knowledgeable and conversant about the sport.

Phase 4: Development of a Needs Assessment Plan

The sport psychologist must have a working knowledge of athletes' current psychological skills. This can be

accomplished only through formal and informal assessment.

Interview

Performance profiling

Observation of athletes during practice and competition

Use of objective pencil and paper inventories

Phase 5: Psychological Methods and Strategies to be Taught

In this phase, a master plan is developed in terms of what, when, and in what sequence psychological

methods are to be taught to address psychological skill weaknesses.

Sport Psychology(psy407)

Phase 6: Actual Teaching and Learning of Selected Psychological Methods

1. Psychological Methods to be taught, practiced , and applied in competition to enhance psychological

skills

a. Goal setting

b. Relaxation

c. Self-talk

d. Imagery

e. Attention skills

f. Self-hypnosis

2. Performance Routines to be taught, practiced, and applied in competition to enhance psychological

skills

Phase 7: Ongoing and End-of-Session Evaluation of PSTP

For best results, the PSTP must be continually reviewed and evaluated.

References

Cox, H. Richard. (2002). Sport Psychology: Concepts and Applications. (Fifth Edition). New York: McGraw-

Hill Companies

Lavallec. D., Kremer, J., Moran, A., & Williams. M. (2004) Sports Psychology: Contemporary Themes. New

York: Palgrave Macmillan Publishers

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