Sport Psychology to Improve Performance
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Gatorade Sports Science 20 Institute ® VOLUME 6 (1995) NUMBER 2 SPORTS SCIENCE EXCHANGE ROUNDTABLE THE USE OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY TO IMPROVE SPORT PERFORMANCE Participants: Daniel Kirschenbaum, Ph.D. Director, Center for Behavioral Medicine Professor, Northwestern University Medical School Chicago, Illinois Sean McCann, Ph.D. U.S. Olympic Committee Sport Science and Technology Division Colorado Springs, Colorado Andrew Meyers, Ph.D. University of Memphis Department of Psychology Memphis, Tennessee Jean Williams, Ph.D. University of Arizona Department of Exercise & Sport Science Tucson, Arizona Introduction Sport psychology is the science of behavior applied to exercise and sport participation. Increasing numbers of athletes and coaches are using sport psycholo- gists to help them gain a personal and competitive edge--to manage stress and anxiety more effectively, improve concentration and motivation, increase confi- dence, and promote better communication. This field has been percolating for 70 years, yet many people still think of it as commonsensical mind games. The Gatorade Sports Science Institute convened a panel of four of the leading experts on sport psychology to help clarify the meaning of this important discipline, describe its recent history, and project its future. How has the use of sport psychology training programs. Increasingly, sport psy- and, in some cases, remarkably positive changed among elite athletes over the last chology has become as common a compo- effects. Several dozen studies clearly indicate 20 years? nent of elite athletic preparation as good that sport psychology interventions lead to nutrition and proper medical care. improvements in performance compared to Kirschenbaum: Sport psychology has grown control or alternative interventions. remarkably in recent years. During the past What is the current state of the science that decade, two new scientific journals and two supports the use of psychological interven- Under what circumstances, if any, can psy- major national organizations that address the tions to improve sport performance? chological interventions lead to more harm area of sport psychology have emerged. than good for athletes? Parallel increases have been apparent in the Williams: Individual variation certainly number of books on the topic and in the exists. However, a review of peak perfor- McCann: Of course, any intervention can growth of involvement of sport psychologists mance literature clearly indicates that suc- cause harm. Poor coaching, a misdiagnosis with Olympic teams. As further evidence of cessful athletes tend to have higher levels of by a sports medicine physician, or a trainer the increased popularity of the field, a recent self-confidence, a more task-oriented focus who ignores a serious stress fracture are all article noted that one-third of touring profes- of concentration, a lesser likelihood of examples of health professionals using inter- sional golfers are currently using sport psy- becoming distracted, a greater ability to keep ventions with potentially harmful conse- chologists. Five to ten years ago, few anxiety at facilitative levels, a more positive quences. Making sure that a sport professional golfers utilized a psychologist. preoccupation with sport (imagery and psychologist has the proper training and cre- thoughts), and more determination and com- dentials (i.e.-membership in the USOC Sport Williams: Twenty years ago most elite ath- mitment compared to less successful athletes. Psychology Registry or certification by the letes had never heard of sport psychology These psychological characteristics can be Association of Applied Sport Psychology and gave little or no thought to training the developed through appropriate psychological (AAASP)) is the best guard against harmful mental side of their games. Many of these interventions. intervention. athletes possessed excellent psychological skills, but the development of these skills Using meta-analytic procedures, review- The question can also be interpreted as occurred largely by chance and without con- ers of intervention research found support for suggesting that talking about a potentially scious recognition. For the vast majority of mental rehearsal (imagery), cognitive restruc- negative issue can actually “cause” it to athletes, efforts to improve performance con- turing interventions, goal setting, and relax- occur. For example, a coach might say “why sisted only of looking for advances in physi- ation interventions to improve athletic talk about extra pressure at the Olympic cal training and conditioning, biomechanics, performance in diverse sports such as golf, Games? Aren’t you just planting a seed?” and equipment. In contrast, all of today’s karate, skiing, tennis, and baseball. However, the bottom line for the athletes that elite athletes probably have heard of sport Meyers: Serious evaluative research in this I work with is that pressure is real at the psychology. In ever increasing numbers they area goes back only about 25 years, but there Olympic level, and mentally prepared ath- are seeking the services of sports psycholo- is now a good deal of evidence to support the letes handle that pressure with the greatest gists as the “competitive edge” to finish a use of many of the interventions that Dr. ease. You cannot get very far in sports these step ahead of the competition. Williams alluded to for athletic performance days if you pretend that environmental fac- enhancement. A recent review of the litera- tors don’t exist. Of course, an effective sport McCann: I believe that the most dramatic psychologist won’t just raise these issues; changes have occurred in the last 10 years, ture that I completed with a colleague, Dr. Jim Whelan, found that contemporary sport they will also have potential solutions to each with the development of a “common lan- of these challenges. guage” of sport psychology. This language psychology interventions are significantly accompanies a specific set of mental skills better than control conditions for improving Meyers: It’s no accident that one of the dic- for sport that are definable, understandable, athletic performance. Unfortunately, there tums of medical treatment is “Do no harm.” and teachable. Athletes in the 1980’s used to are few experimental evaluations of sport Any intervention, medical or psychological, come to my door and say, “I’ve heard that psychology interventions using elite athletes. can produce harm (as well as benefit), so it is sport psychology can help athletes.” Now We know that these programs work with important for a client to be a careful, athletes are informed consumers who state, recreational through varsity athletes, but informed, and assertive consumer of such for example, “I’m having trouble with com- we’ve yet to demonstrate the viability of services. First and foremost, there is no guar- petition anxiety, and I was hoping that you these interventions with national and world antee that the provider of services will do a class athletes. However, all existing evidence could help me make a relaxation tape.” Elite competent job. The client should expect the suggests that these interventions would be athletes and coaches do not always under- provider to lay out an intervention plan that effective with this population as well. stand the theoretical underpinnings of the sci- informs the client of what will happen in ence of sport psychology, but they are McCann: I agree with Dr. Meyers. The psy- their professional relationship. This plan familiar with the sport specific applications chological interventions used in applied sport should detail the goals of the work and of that science, and these applications are in psychology are typically well-researched expected performance changes, expected great demand. cognitive behavioral techniques drawn from length of the intervention, the duration of applied clinical and counseling psychology. each session, and any other requirements Meyers: For many, the 1984 Summer Thus, the interventions are sound. However, such as fees and payment schedules. The Olympic Games in Los Angeles served as an there has been a tendency to use college stu- client should be free to request periodic introduction to applied sport psychology. The dents as subjects in many of the research updates from the provider on his or her use of sport psychology programs by Soviet studies conducted to date. There is a great progress, and inquire about the ethical codes and East German athletes and coaches need for more controlled studies with elite that the provider works under (i.e.-under focused a great deal of attention on this athletes to determine what modifications, if what circumstances can confidentially be emerging field. As some of the other respon- any, would be useful for psychological inter- broken?). Not all performance enhancement dents have stated, there are few elite athletes ventions with elite level performers. interventions will result in positive change at the present time who do not have at least a but an alert and involved athlete-consumer rudimentary awareness of the area. The Kirschenbaum: In addition, more follow-up should receive maximum benefit and maxi- United States Olympic Committee includes a studies are needed to show the extent to mum protection. sport psychologist in its Sports Science divi- which interventions produce long term sion and has encouraged the national govern- impact. However, sport psychology interven- Kirschenbaum: Psychological interventions ing bodies of the various Olympic sports