Integrating and Implementing a Psychological Skills Training Program Robert S. Weinberg and Jean M....
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Integrating and Implementing a Psychological Skills Training Program Robert S. Weinberg and Jean M. Williams Chapter 16 Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Transcript of Integrating and Implementing a Psychological Skills Training Program Robert S. Weinberg and Jean M....
Integrating and Implementing a
Psychological Skills Training Program
Robert S. Weinberg and Jean M. Williams
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written
consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Are Psychological Interventions Effective in Improving Sport Performance?• Of 45 studies on psychological skills training (PST)
programs, 85% found positive performance effects• Athletes from Olympic level down report that mental
training and discipline play a huge part in their success
• No ready-made solutions on how coaches and sport psychologists (SP) can integrate and implement a PST program
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Who Will Benefit From PST?
• Not just for elite athletes! appropriate for all athletes!!!
• Ideal time for implementing PST may be with beginning sport participants
• Young athletes may need adjustments such as:• fewer goals• shorter training sessions• simpler verbal instruction • turning the exercises into games
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Who Should Conduct PST Programs?
• Ideal if qualified consulting sport psychologist plans, implements, and supervises PST
• rarely feasible except at higher levels of competition • Also coach’s responsibility to provide PST• Coaching staff should attend most or all of initial group
training sessions when SP conducted• Tells athletes it’s important• SP can’t be at all training sessions and competitions• Fewer content misunderstandings
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Creating Positive Therapeutic Outcomes • SP consultants felt the three most important
characteristics for an effective consultant:1. Building a connection with the athlete to create
positive change2. A professional consulting relationship with the
athlete, 3. Assuring that the consulting relationship meets the
needs of the athlete
• Be adaptive in your approach• Counseling competencies…
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Counseling Competencies
• Recognize limits of competency or expertise• Respect confidentiality• Recognizing how one’s own values and biases may impact
psychological processes• Make appropriate referrals• Understand the athlete culture and influence of the athletic
environment on athletes • Consider cultural differences (i.e. ethnic and racial diversity
and sexual orientation)
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• Best time is during the off season or preseason• Least desirable time is after the competitive season has started • Continue PST as long as athlete competes
When to Implement a PST Program
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When Should Athletes Practice Psychological Skills?• Better to have mental training practice occur under
someone’s supervision• The first or last 15 to 30 minutes of practice, 3-5 days
per week• Progressive method of practice • Practicing mental skills should become an integral
part of all physical practices • Training program does not appear to be something extra
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• First formal exposure, 3-6 months common
• The sport, time available, existing mental skills, and commitment of individuals are all factors to consider in determining actual length of time
• As soon as possible, integrate PST with physical skills practice
Time Spent on the PST Program
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Self-regulation = People manage their own behaviors that are directed toward specific goals
• Goal setting, planning, observing, evaluating behaviors, etc.
5 phases of self-regulation:1. Problem identification2. Commitment to change3. Execution of self-regulated change4. Manage the environment5. Generalization
Setting Up PST Program
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• Explain what sport psychology is and how it benefits the athlete
• A method to improve, not just seeing a “shrink”
• Educate on your approach • Emphasize that PST does not mean something psychologically
wrong with them• No different than staying after practice to work on an important skill
Setting Up Program: Do’s and Don’ts
• In an initial meeting with athletes, you must convincing them of the need for systematic mental training
• Ask athletes what percentage of their game is mental• Provide anecdotes from sport• Temper expectations - that no amount of mental training
will substitute for poor mechanics, lack of practice, or limited physical aptitude
Setting Up Program: Emphasize Importance of
Mental Training
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McGraw-Hill Education.
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• Assess with needs assessment• Oral interview• Written psychological inventories• Behavioral observation
• Provide written feedback to athlete on strengths and weaknesses
• Recommend the type of skills/intervention program• Critical that athlete accepts the needs assessment• Performance profiling
Setting Up Program: Assess Psychological Strengths and
Weaknesses
Benefits of Performance Profiling
SP Perspective• Provides a basis for goal setting• Identifies athlete mental
strengths and weaknesses• Raises athlete awareness• Evaluates and monitors athlete
performance• Facilitates discussion,
communication, and interaction within teams
Athlete Perspective• Raises self-awareness• Helps decide what to work on• Motivates to improve• sets goals • Monitors and evaluates
performance• Encourages more
responsibility for development
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consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
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• How much practice time will be given on average each week to mental skills training?
• How many weeks of practice are available?
• Will there still be time to practice mental skills after the competitive season starts, or after the first couple of losses?
• How interested are the athletes in receiving mental skills training?
Determine Skills and Sequencing
Mental Skills for Athletes
Basic and necessary psychological skills
These skills lead to exceptional athletic performance
Maturational markers
Collective qualities of the team – impacts team environment and
team successCopyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved.
No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
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• Provides SP and coaches with information needed to modify their programs
• Allows consumers to give feedback• Only way to objectively judge whether the
program achieved its goals
Evaluation of Program Effectiveness
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• Continuously AND a formal total evaluation at the end of the program
• Asses strengths and weaknesses of the content and delivery of sessions, especially team sessions
• Include team and individual discussions and written evaluations by the athletes and coaches
How Evaluate Effectiveness
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• Provide the What, Why, When, and How of training• Beginning of session: Outline purpose, content, and length• At end and after practicing each exercise: Time for
discussion and questions
• Stress Personal Responsibility• Peak performance is not mysterious; it is a product of the
body and mind, both of which can be controlled
• Be Flexible and Individualized• Introduce a variety of techniques - no fixed pattern • Individualize and modify combinations of techniques• Provide handouts, cassettes, or CD recordings.
Practical Pointers
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• Use Goal Setting and Journal Assignments• Individualize goals• Encourage recording discoveries and successful strategies
• Pre-competition and Competition Plans• Create ideal performance state typically associated with peak
performance IN competition• Help athletes arrange their internal and external worlds so
they are in control
• Stress Application to Other Life Pursuits• Can use the skills in daily life
Practical Pointers (cont.)
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• Practice It Before Teaching It• Personal experience increases one’s ability to teach a
specific technique or answer questions
• Teach by Example• Coaches and SP consultants should be role models
• Observe Practices and Competitions Whenever Possible
• Provides insights, shows caring, and gains trust of athletes.
Practical Pointers (cont.)
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• Emphasize Strengths as Competition Nears• Build athlete’s confidence
• Monitor Your Behavior• Ask someone else to observe and evaluate SP’s behavior
Practical Pointers (cont.)
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Ethical Considerations for the Coach and SP Consultant
Researchers identified four classifications of behaviors that were difficult ethical situations:
1. Conflicts with confidentiality2. Conflicts between personal values and professional
ethics3. Conflicts with dual relationships4. Conflicts with self-presentation or advertising
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• Overcoming player reluctance about participating in a mental training program.
• Spending too little time with individual athletes in a team setting.
• Gaining the trust of the athletes.• Making sure athletes systematically practice their skills.• Lacking knowledge about the specific sport.• Maintaining contact with athletes throughout a competitive
season.• Getting full cooperation from the coaching staff or organization.
Potential Problem Areas
