A View from the Inside: An In-Depth Look at a Female University Student\u27s Experience with a Feel-Based Intervention to Enhance Self-Confidence and Self-Talk

The primary goal of this investigation was to document, using the participatory paradigm, a female university student\u27s experience with a feel-based intervention intended to enhance the quality of her academic experiences including her self-confidence and self-talk. In this unique qualitative case study, the student participated in a 15-week intervention that included multiple in-depth interviews and regular journaling, both of which prompted regular self-monitoring and self-reflection. A narrative account illustrates how the student learned to regulate the way she felt through the intervention, leading to increased self-awareness and self-control, as well as enhanced self-talk and self-confidence

Exploring levels of student-athlete burnout at two Canadian universities

The purpose of the current study was to examine the levels of burnout among student-athletes at two Canadian universities and to investigate whether there were significant differences related to gender, sport, year of university sport participation, academic year, and academic program. Burnout was measured by administering Raedeke and Smith’s (2001) Athlete Burnout Questionnaire to 145 student-athletes from various sports. Overall, 1.4% of the student-athletes had elevated burnout scores on all three subscales, and 17% scored high on two of the three subscales. No significant differences emerged with regards to year of varsity sport participation, academic year, or program. However, women had significantly higher levels of emotional and physical exhaustion than men. Significant differences also emerged in relation to levels of emotional and physical exhaustion, and of sport devaluation, when comparing various sports.  Le but de cette étude était d’évaluer le niveau d’épuisement d’étudiants athlètes fréquentant deux universités canadiennes et de déterminer s’il y avait des différences significatives liées au sexe, au sport, au nombre d’années de participation au sport universitaire, ainsi qu’à l’année universitaire et au programme d’étude. L’épuisement a été mesuré en distribuant le « Athlete Burnout Questionnaire » (Raedeke & Smith, 2001) à 145 étudiants athlètes universitaires de différentes disciplines sportives. En somme, 1,4 % des participants ont affiché des scores élevés sur chacune des trois sous-échelles et 17 % ont fait de même sur deux d’entre elles. Aucune différence marquée n’a été identifiée quant au nombre d’années de participation au sport universitaire, ni à l’année universitaire ou au type de programme d’étude. Cependant, les femmes ont affiché un niveau d’épuisement émotif et physique significativement plus élevé que celui des hommes. En outre, on a noté des différences marquées en comparant les sports entre eux en ce qui a trait au niveau d’épuisement émotif et physique et au niveau de dévalorisation des disciplines

Self-regulation capacity is linked to wellbeing and burnout in physicians and medical students: Implications for nurturing self-help skills

Self-regulation capacity relates to important self-help skills allowing individuals to effectively manage their thoughts, feelings, and actions to attain goals while mastering a demanding environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self- regulation capacity, psychological wellbeing, and burnout in 37 Canadian medical students and 25 physicians. Regression analyses showed that self-regulation capacity positively predicted psychological wellbeing and negatively predicted burnout for both groups. Concerning the dimensions of purpose in life and environmental mastery, the benefits of self-regulatory capacity were particularly pronounced for physicians. Implications for developing self-regulation competence to maintain optimal mental health are discussed

Guidelines for writing applied case studies in sport and exercise psychology

While there has been a significant expansion of continued professional development opportunities in recent years, there has often, historically, been a reluctance for sport and exercise psychologists to both share, and receive feedback on their professional practice (Cotterill, Weston and Breslin, 2016). The recent development of the new Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology journal, a flagship journal of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, supports an increasing appetite for this type of dissemination. Building upon these recent developments this paper draws on the experience of several experienced practitioners, who are also supervisors, assessors and journal editors in applied sport and exercise psychology. Guidelines for the preparation of applied case studies are offered as an aid for practitioners who are seeking to both publicise and share their work, and/or contribute to the literature and current knowledge in this area. We argue that the voices of practitioners represent an important component of any scientific literature, and we encourage practitioners to both share their work; reflect on the effectiveness of different approaches and techniques, and engage in the ongoing debate that characterizes scientific progress. In this way, we seek to help address the criticism that literature in sport and exercise psychology is too theoretically focused, and not representative of the 'real-world'. We seek to help close the research-practice 'gap'.Aunque ha habido una expansión significativa de las oportunidades de desarrollo profesional continuado en los últimos años, históricamente ha habido una renuencia de los psicólogos del deporte y del ejercicio a compartir y recibir sugerencias y comentarios sobre su práctica profesional (Cotterill et al., 2016). El reciente desarrollo de la nueva revista de Estudios de Casos en el Deporte y la Psicología del Ejercicio, una revista emblemática de la Asociación de Psicología del Deporte Aplicado, apoya el creciente interés por este tipo de difusión entre profesionales. Basándose en estos recientes desarrollos, este trabajo se basa en la experiencia de varios profesionales experimentados, que también son supervisores de estudiantes, asesores y editores de revistas en el deporte aplicado y la psicología del ejercicio. Las guías para la preparación de estudios de casos aplicados se ofrecen como una ayuda para los profesionales que buscan publicar y compartir su trabajo y / o contribuir a la literatura y el conocimiento actual en esta área. Parecería que las voces de los practicantes representan un componente importante de cualquier literatura científica, y animamos a los practicantes a compartir su trabajo; Reflexionar sobre la eficacia de los diferentes enfoques y técnicas y participar en el debate actual que caracteriza el progreso científico. De esta manera, tratamos de ayudar a abordar la crítica de que la literatura en el deporte y la psicología del ejercicio es demasiado teórica, y no representativo del "mundo real". Buscamos ayudar a cerrar la "brecha" entre la investigación y la práctica

Editorial: Innovative approaches to foster healthy cultures and mental health in sport.

There is increasing interest and prioritization of mental health in sport. This has resulted in numerous position stands by leading sporting organizations that draw attention to the importance of athlete mental health for both well-being and performance. However, the environment plays an important role and it is essential to expand existing views and approaches regarding athlete mental health to address the impact of other leaders and factors within the sports environment

Factors affecting the identification of talented junior-elite footballers: a case study

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine factors associated with the identification of talented junior-elite footballers. Three data collection methods were employed: (1) document analysis (4 documents), (2) overt observation (~105 h) and (3) 12 semi-structured one-to-one interviews with staff responsible for player recruitment (M = 70 min). Data were analysed using a constant comparative approach, which allowed flexibility and reflexivity throughout the data collection period. Two core themes concerning the identification of talented players at this academy emerged: "structural issues", which were further categorised as: (1) financial; (2) educational; (3) philosophical or cultural; (4) competition amongst clubs; and (5) hours in practice; and "Current performance and potential talent" which covered issues around growth, maturation and development and psycho-social attributes. The paper concludes by suggesting that clubs should be more proactive in understanding the structural issues that affect talent identification processes, and better educating and supporting staff responsible for recruitment activity

The development and maintenance of expert athletic performance: Perceptions of Olympic and World champions, their parents and coaches.

The development of expertise has been a popular topic of investigation across several performance domains, including sport. An increasingly sophisticated knowledge base regarding both the nature of sport expertise and the factors that facilitate its development has begun to emerge, however, many questions remain to be answered. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that contributed to the development and maintenance of performance of highly accomplished athletes. During the first phase of the study, 10 athletes having won at least two Olympic gold medals or two World Championship titles, or a combination of both, were interviewed using an in-depth, open-ended, and semi-structured approach (Patton, 1987). In order to complement and authenticate the data elicited from the athletes, their parents (n = 9) and coaches (n = 4) were also interviewed. The data were analyzed both inductively and deductively using Cote, Salmela, Baria and Russell's (1993) procedures for organizing and interpreting unstructured qualitative data. Results revealed that the athletes progressed through four stages throughout their career: the Sampling, Specializing, Investment, and Maintenance Years. Several factors were perceived to be important across these stages and they pertained to the athletes' context, personal characteristics, training, and competition. Although there were differences in the athletes' perceptions, common findings were that parents and coaches were extremely valuable resources throughout their career. Furthermore, the athletes manifested certain attributes that contributed to their development, which included a love for sports, self-confidence, determination, perseverance, a strong work ethic, and natural talent. As the athletes moved to a higher level in their sport, training required more hours, intensity, and quality. Competition also became more demanding but through their preparation, they developed strategies that enabled them to enjoy the process of performance and to cope with pressure and distractions. In the second phase of the study, 3 of the 10 athletes participated in a concept mapping activity (Huberman, 1989; Miles & Khattri, 1995), in which they created a holistic map that profiled the factors deemed important in their development, using the categories that emerged in the first phase of the study. Although their maps were structured in different ways, the athletes identified several common factors that concerned their context, personal characteristics, training, and competition. They also depicted similar relationships between these factors. Overall, the data collected from the concept mapping activity confirmed the analysis that was completed during the first phase of the study. They also corroborated the information the athletes provided during their interviews. This study is significant because it made several theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions regarding the development and maintenance of expert performance in sport. It demonstrated that although several factors contributed to the athletes' expertise in sport, various paths led them to become World and Olympic champions. Extensive information can be used to guide future studies and to enhance the experience of athletes, parents, and coaches. Researchers should continue investigating the factors affecting the development of expertise in sport, particularly at the maintenance years level, because empirical information is still lacking

La détection des talents ou le développement de l'expertise en sport

The purpose of this paper is to analyze from a theoretical, methodological and practical point of view the talent detection strategy and a recent approach of sport expertise development. Talent detection strategy is founded from a determinist way of thinking, where its application on sport remains problematic. In contrast, utilization of qualitative methods for the study of high level athletes evolution during their careers appears to be full of promise, particularly the new perspective based on the works of Bloom (1985), Csikszentmihalyi et al. (1993) and Ericsson et al. (1993). In regards to the development of sport expertise, a considerable importance has been given to personal and contextual factors like the athletes deliberate practice, family support, and creativity of their educational evironment.Cet article analyse d'un point de vue théorique, méthodologique et pratique les procédures classiques de détection des talents et les approches récentes du développement de l'expertise en sport. La détection des talents est fondée sur un mode de pensée déterministe dont l'application en sport demeure problématique. Par contre l'emploi de méthodes qualitatives pour l'étude de l'évolution des athlètes de haut niveau au cours de leur carrière se révèle prometteuse. Notamment, les nouvelles perspectives de recherche inspirées par les travaux de Bloom (1985), Csikszentmihalyi et al. (1993) et Ericsson et al. (1993) accordent du poids dans le développement de l'expertise en sport à des facteurs personnels et contextuels tels que la pratique délibérée de l'athlète, le soutien de ses parents et la créativité de son environnement éducatif.Salmela John H., Durand-Bush Nathalie, Durand Marc. La détection des talents ou le développement de l'expertise en sport. In: Enfance, n°2-3, 1994. pp. 233-245

Frameworks of Team Processes in Sport: A Critical Review with Implications for Practitioners

Abstract Researchers have directly or indirectly examined team processes that contribute to team functioning and effectiveness in sport. However, in doing so, they have typically focused on team cohesion, they have not consistently addressed the theoretical/conceptual frameworks underpinning their work, nor have they comprehensively derived implications for practice. Furthermore, existing meta-analyses and reviews on cohesion and team building address results of empirical studies and do not evaluate the specific theoretical/conceptual frameworks used to guide these studies. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to critically review theoretical/conceptual frameworks directly or indirectly addressing team processes in sport and derive implications for professional practice. Seven frameworks used to guide research and/or practice in sport were identified for inclusion in this study. Three frameworks were borrowed from general psychology and the other four stemmed from sport psychology. These frameworks targeted a variety of specific team processes and six different outcomes, the most common of which was cohesion. Specific team processes were categorized under broader team processes, the latter of which were linked to one of ten general themes. The theme pertaining to roles/norms was the most prevalent one as it was addressed in six out of the seven frameworks. Conversely, one of the least prevalent general themes related to goals; it was only discussed in two of the seven frameworks. Implications for practitioners aiming to optimize team processes in sport and recommendations for future research are presented

Levels and Prevalence of Mental Health Functioning in Canadian University Student-Athletes

We examined the level and prevalence of mental health functioning (MHF) in intercollegiate student-athletes from 30 Canadian universities, and the impact of time of year, gender, alcohol use, living situation, year of study, and type of sport on MHF. An online survey completed in November 2015 (N = 388) and March 2016 (n = 110) revealed that overall, MHF levels were moderate to high, and more student-athletes were flourishing than languishing. MHF levels did not significantly differ across time based on gender, alcohol use, living situation, year of study, and type of sport. Eighteen percent reported a previous mental illness diagnosis and yet maintained moderate MHF across time. These findings support Keyes’ (2002) dual-continua model, suggesting that the presence of mental illness does not automatically imply low levels of well-being and languishing. Nonetheless, those without a previous diagnosis were 3.18 times more likely to be flourishing at Time 1 (November 2015).  Nous avons étudié la santé mentale d’étudiants athlètes provenant de 30 universités canadiennes, ainsi que l’influence des variables suivantes : temps de l’année, sexe, consommation d’alcool, condition de logement, année d’étude, et type de sport. Un questionnaire en ligne complété aux mois de novembre 2015 (N = 388) et mars 2016 (n = 110) a révélé que la santé mentale des participants variait d’un niveau moyen à élevé et n’était pas influencée par les autres variables. Un plus grand nombre de participants s’épanouissaient comparativement à ceux qui languissaient. Les participants rapportant un diagnostic de trouble mental (18%) maintenaient tout de même un niveau modéré de santé mentale à travers le temps, suggérant que la présence d’une maladie mentale n’implique pas nécessairement un niveau de bien-être inférieur (Keyes, 2002). Toutefois, les étudiants athlètes sans diagnostic antérieur étaient plus aptes (3.18 fois) à s’épanouir au temps 1 de l’étude (novembre 2015)