The effects of hypnosis on flow states and three-point shooting performance in basketball players.

This study examined the effects of hypnosis on flow states and three-point shooting performance in 5 collegiate basketball players. The investigation uti- lized an ideographic single-subject multiple baselines across subjects design combined with a procedure that monitors the internal experience of the par- ticipants (Wollman, 1986). The method of intervention utilized in this study involved relaxation, imagery, hypnotic induction, hypnotic regression, and trigger control procedures. The results indicated that all five participants in- creased both their mean basketball three-point shooting performance and their mean flow scores from baseline to intervention. There were no overlapping data points between the baseline and intervention for either performance or flow state. Additionally, each participant indicated that they had felt the inter- vention was useful in keeping them confident, relaxed, and calm. These re- sults support the hypothesis that a hypnosis intervention can improve three- point shooting performance in basketball players and increase feelings and cognitions that are associated with flow

Effective ways to develop and maintain robust sport-confidence : strategies advocated by sport psychology consultants

Based on recent evidence, this study identified 10 strategies advocated by sport psychology consultants as effective at developing and maintaining robust sport-confidence in athletes. Due to the study's exploratory nature, qualitative interviews were conducted and content analyzed. Six themes emerged for developing robust sport-confidence and 4 emerged for maintaining robust sport-confidence. Findings reveal a need to develop an athlete's signature strengths, increase pressure experienced in training, and identify broad stable sources of confidence to develop robust sport-confidence. Consultants reported that maintaining robust sport-confidence occurs through constant development. Theoretical implications and future research directions are discussed

Ultrasound Career Structure and Education : a Time for Change

Background: In 2011 the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) undertook a survey of Ultrasound Departments in the United Kingdom (UK) to ascertain the current state of the workforce with a focus on staffing and vacancy levels. The study found there was a 10.9% Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) vacancy rate (SCoR 2011); current studies through the Health Education East Midlands sonography workforce project (2015) have found the WTE vacancy rate as high as 17%. The workforce issue in ultrasound is not a new problem; the British Medical Ultrasound Society’s (BMUS) “Extending the Provision of Ultrasound services in the UK’ (2003) highlighted that ultrasound training was failing to keep up with the service demand for, and natural wastage of, sonographers. It is therefore evident that a solution to the workforce dilemma is long overdue to secure the future of ultrasound services Purpose: The study aimed to explore sonographer opinion on the feasibility of a clinical competence framework that included bands 5 to 8 sonographer practitioners. Methodology: A qualitative study was undertaken using semi-structured interviews. A purposive sample population from a wide professional and geographical demographic was included in the study. Thematic analysis was undertaken using NVIVO. Findings: Data illustrated themes such as power, professional protectionism, managing change and sonographer education but failed to identify clinical competences for band 5 and 6 sonographers. Conclusion: The research suggests that a professional resistance to engage with the concept of a band 5 and 6 sonographer persist. This resistance is routed in the fear and anxiety of the unknown. A microcosm of power within Sonography exists which inhibits any move to address the unsustainable career and education philosophy that exists today

Understanding mental toughness in elite football officiating : perceptions of English Premier League referees.

The purpose of the present study was to gain a detailed understanding of Mental Toughness (MT) in the context of elite football officiating. Competition-specific and off-field situations perceived to require MT as well as corresponding behaviours and cognitions utilised by mentally tough referees were identified. Fifteen English Premier League (EPL) referees were individually interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Through inductive and deductive content analysis, 70 situations converged into five higher-order themes: (a) pre-match situations, (b) during-match situations, (c) post-match situations, (d) general elite refereeing situations, and (e) general-life situations. Throughout emerging themes, a multifunctional set of adaptive patterns of behaviour (e.g., act as a barrier between players, looking calm and composed) and cognitive strategies (e.g., draw upon life experiences, awareness of players' emotions) were outlined. Theoretical and applied implications for sport psychology practitioners and researchers operating in the area of MT are discussed

A strengths-based consultancy approach in elite sport : exploring super strengths.

There is a lack of literature documenting strengths-based approaches in sport psychology. This study explored how a super-strengths approach has been implemented by sport psychologists (n = 7) and coaches (n = 8), with UK elite athletes. Findings were categorized into 3 general dimensions: defining super-strengths, identification methods, and phases of development. Super-strengths were defined as a strategy for performance, utilizing a potential world’s-best resource to gain a competitive edge. Identification methods were subjective (e.g., asking/observing athletes) and objective (e.g., performance analysis). Participants emphasized 3 development phases: preparation, adaptation and monitoring. Findings offer considerations for implementing a strengths-based approach and future research

Yips and Lost Move Syndrome : assessing impact and exploring levels of perfectionism, rumination, and reinvestment

This study examined whether the yips and lost move syndrome (LMS) are associated with higher levels of perfectionism, rumination, and reinvestment, and whether individuals experiencing these problems perceive them as highly stressful. Samples of yips (N = 15) and LMS-affected (N = 15) individuals, and two matched control groups, completed the Frost multidimensional perfectionism scale (FMPS; Frost, Marten, Lahart & Rosenblate, 1990), the ruminative response scale (RRS; Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991), the reinvestment scale (Masters, Polman & Hammond, 1993), and the impact of event scale (IES; Horowitz, Wilner & Alverez, 1979). Findings indicate higher scores in the yips and LMS groups for perfectionism, rumination, reinvestment, and IES compared to their respective control groups. The results suggest that rumination, reinvestment, and aspects of perfectionism increase vulnerability to the yips and LMS, and that that both the yips and LMS are equally distressing. Keywords: performance block, anxiety, trauma, self-focussed attention

Preliminary evidence for the treatment of performance blocks in sport: The efficacy of EMDR With Graded Exposure

Sport psychologists are increasingly confronted with performance problems in sport where athletes suddenly lose the ability to execute automatic movements (Rotheram, Maynard, Thomas, Bawden, & Francis, 2012). Described as performance blocks (Bennett, Hays, Lindsay, Olusoga, & Maynard, 2015), these problems manifest as locked, stuck, and frozen movements and are underpinned by an aggressive anxiety component. This research used both qualitative and quantitative methods in a single case study design to investigate the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy with graded exposure as a treatment method. The participant was a 58-year-old professional male golfer who had been suffering a performance block for 11 years. Specifically, the participant was experiencing involuntary spasms, shaking, muscle tension, and jerking in the lower left forearm while executing a putting stroke. Physical symptoms were coupled with extreme anxiety, panic, and frustration. The study tested the hypothesis that reprocessing related significant life events and attending to dysfunctional emotional symptoms would eliminate the performance block and related symptoms and that the individual would regain his ability to execute the affected skill. Pre-, mid-, and postintervention performance success, using the Impact of Event scale, subjective units of distress (SUD; Wolpe, 1973), and kinematic testing revealed improvements in all associated symptoms in training and competition. These findings suggest that previous life experiences might be associated with the onset of performance blocks and that EMDR with graded exposure might offer an effective treatment method