Introduction to Psychological Skills Training

PST Myths Session Outline What Is Psychological Skills Training (PST) and Why Is It Important? Why Are Psychological Skills Neglected? PST Effectiveness PST Knowledge Base (continued)

Designing a PST Program Session Outline Three Phases of PST Who Should Implement PST Programs, When, and for How Long? Common Problems in Implementing PST

What Is Psychological Skills Training (PST)? Psychological skills training refers to the systematic and consistent practice of mental or psychological skills.

PST Components Arousal regulation Imagery Goal setting & self-monitoring Self-talk & confidence building Concentration & focus Time management* Environmental structuring* Help seeking*

Importance of Training in Psychological Skills During the season, how long do you spend physically training for competition? ___ Average time spent per day During your season how long do you spend practicing psychological skills for competition? ___ Average time spent per day (continued)

Importance of Psychological Skills… How important do you think psychological or mental skills are to your performance and success? (1 = Not important; 10 = Essential)

Why Are Psychological Skills Neglected? Lack of info (coaches & players) Misunderstandings about psychological skills (e.g., they can’t be learned) Lack of time

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PST Myths PST is for “problem” athletes only. 1. PST is for “elite” athletes only. 2. PST provides “quick fix” solutions. 3. PST is not useful. 4.

PST Knowledge Base Research on elite athletes shows that most successful athletes differ from less successful ones because they have better concentration, higher confidence, more task-oriented thoughts, lower anxiety, more positive thoughts and images, and more determination or commitment.

PST Effectiveness MP + PP = BP Intervention must be individualized, employed systematically over time, and multimodal (combining different psychological skills such as imagery, self-talk, and goal setting).

Implementing PST Programs Sport psychologist or coach Who should conduct PST? In the off-season ideally When should you implement PST? 10 to 15 minutes a day, 3 to 5 days per week; ideally everyday How long should training last? Mental training should continue throughout an athlete’s sport participation.

Phases of PST Assessment Phase Education Phase Acquisition Phase Practice Phase * Evaluation/feedback

Performance Profile

Designing a PST Program Discuss your approach. Assess the athlete’s mental skills. Determine which psychological skills to include. Design a PST schedule. Evaluate the program.

Characteristics of Effective and Ineffective Sport Psychology Consultants were accessible and could establish rapport with athletes, were flexible and knowledgeable enough to meet the needs of individual athletes, conducted several follow-up sessions with athletes throughout the season, and Effective Consultants were trustworthy and fit in with the team. were likeable and had something very concrete or practical to offer,

Characteristics of Effective and Ineffective Sport Psychology Consultants had poor interpersonal skills, lacked sensitivity to the needs of individual athletes, lacked specific psychology knowledge to apply to the sport setting, Ineffective Consultants demonstrated inappropriate application of consulting skills at competitions, and relied on a “canned” approach when implementing psychological skills.

Striving for Excellence & Beyond -Making striving explicit in most cognitive and behavioral activities -APA ethics / mission of psychologists