A feasibility study of the incidence and symptoms of the throwing yips in college baseball players

Aoyama, Toshiyuki; Ae, Kazumichi; Souma, Hiroto; Miyata, Kazuhiro; Kajita, Kazuhiro; Nara, Takaaki; Kawamura, Takashi

doi:10.7600/jspfsm.70.91

Cited by 3 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…Symptoms of yips in golfers are more pronounced during short putts of ∼1-4 feet (Smith et al, 2000). In our preliminary report (Aoyama et al, 2021), which investigated throwing yips in baseball players, symptoms appeared to be stronger when throwing at a short distance of ≤20 m. Such taskspecific symptoms are found not only in athletes with yips but also in patients with focal dystonia Jabusch, 2009, 2010). Furthermore, symptoms of yips fluctuate with psychological state.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…After completing this questionnaire, the participants submitted it to a researcher who was not affiliated with the players. The questionnaire content was the same as that used in our previous study (Aoyama et al, 2021 ). The questionnaire was originally developed based on previous reports in yips-affected golfers (McDaniel et al, 1989 ; Smith et al, 2000 ) and consultation with the authors, including coaches and a physical therapist who have experience dealing with yips-affected baseball players, a neuroscience researcher (physical therapist) who has physical therapy experience in focal dystonia, and a sports biomechanics researcher who specializes in baseball.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We classified the players as having yips if they answered “Yes” to a question about the subjective experience of the yips symptoms (Have you ever suddenly or gradually been unable to control the ball as you would like and continued to make throwing errors that your partner would not be able to catch?) and whose symptoms persisted for at least 1 month (Aoyama et al, 2021 ). We excluded three participants from this study who had a subjective experience of yips symptoms that lasted <1 month.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The “yips” phenomenon is a psycho-neuromuscular disorder characterized by involuntary movements that disrupt the execution of automatic fine motor behavior (Smith et al, 2000 ; Bawden and Maynard, 2001 ; Clarke et al, 2015 ). Yips have been reported to occur in athletes of various sports including golf (McDaniel et al, 1989 ; Smith et al, 2000 ; Adler et al, 2005 , 2011 , 2018 ; Stinear et al, 2006 ; Dhungana and Jankovic, 2013 ; Klämpfl et al, 2013a , b ; Ioannou et al, 2018 ), cricket (Bawden and Maynard, 2001 ; Roberts et al, 2013 ), archery (Clarke et al, 2019 ), baseball (Jones et al, 2017 ; Smith et al, 2017 ; Nakane et al, 2018 ; Aoyama et al, 2021 ), and darts (Roberts et al, 2013 ). According to a systematic review by Clarke et al ( 2015 ), 28–54% of low handicap golfers have experienced yips.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Difference in Personality Traits and Symptom Intensity According to the Trigger-Based Classification of Throwing Yips in Baseball Players

Aoyama

Souma

et al. 2021

Front. Sports Act. Living

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The triggers of initial onset of yips symptoms can be broadly divided into psychological and non-psychological factors; however, a trigger-based classification of yips has not been established. This study aims to obtain insight into the prevention of yips by clarifying whether there are differences in symptoms and personality traits according to a trigger-based classification of yips in baseball players. A total of 107 college baseball players responded to a questionnaire assessing the presence or absence of yips and its symptoms. They were classified into the psychologically triggered yips group, the non-psychologically triggered yips group, and the non-yips group based on the presence or absence of yips and the triggers of its initial onset. Additionally, we compared whether personality traits examined by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory differed across these three groups. The psychologically triggered yips group had significantly higher agreeableness scores compared with the non-yips group, whereas the non-psychologically triggered yips group had significantly higher neuroticism scores compared with the psychologically triggered yips group. In the non-psychologically triggered yips group, there was a significantly higher frequency of throwing errors than in the psychologically triggered yips group, with a tendency to develop yips symptoms gradually. Since the trigger-based classification of yips is closely related to the strength of the yips symptoms and the players' personality traits, the results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the symptoms of yips and establishment of the prevention of yips. Large prospective studies are necessary to determine the causal relationship between a trigger-based classification of yips and the personality traits and symptoms of athletes with yips.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Difference in Personality Traits and Symptom Intensity According to the Trigger-Based Classification of Throwing Yips in Baseball Players

Aoyama

Souma

et al. 2021

Front. Sports Act. Living

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“…In a study on baseball players, we reported that the occurrence of yips was associated with players’ personality traits [ 7 ]. Furthermore, a high percentage (47%) of college baseball players reported having experienced yips symptoms, causing a serious impact on their careers [ 8 ]. Therefore, effective treatment methods must be developed to alleviate its symptoms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motor imagery ability in baseball players with throwing yips

Aoyama,

Ae,

Soma

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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The motor imagery ability is closely related to an individual’s motor performance in sports. However, whether motor imagery ability is diminished in athletes with yips, in whom motor performance is impaired, is unclear. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to determine whether general motor imagery ability or vividness of motor imagery specific to throwing motion is impaired in baseball players with throwing yips. The study enrolled 114 college baseball players. They were classified into three groups: 33 players in the yips group, 26 in the recovered group (previously had yips symptoms but had resolved them), and 55 in the control group. They answered the revised version of the vividness of movement imagery questionnaire (VMIQ-2), which assesses general motor imagery ability. Furthermore, they completed a questionnaire that assesses both positive and negative motor imagery vividness specific to baseball throwing. In the former, they responded to their ability to vividly imagine accurately throwing a controlled ball, whereas in the latter, they responded to the vividness of their experience of negative motor imagery associated with baseball throwing, specifically the image of a wild throw. No significant difference in the VMIQ-2 was found among the three groups. While no significant difference in the vividness of positive motor imagery for ball throwing was found in either first-person visual or kinesthetic perspectives among the three groups, the yips group exhibited significantly higher vividness of negative motor imagery than the control group in both perspectives. These results indicate that negative motor imagery specific to baseball throwing may be associated with symptoms of yips. Therefore, interventions addressing psychological aspects, such as anxiety, which are potential causes of the generation of negative motor imagery, may be necessary to alleviate the symptoms of yips.

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Relationships Between Throwing Yips in Baseball, Experiential Avoidance, Cognitive Fusion, Values, and Social Factors

Inoue

Yamada

Ohtsuki

2024

Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology

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Despite the high prevalence of yips, a psychoneuromuscular impairment affecting fine motor skills in sports performance, the specific aspects of its causality and treatment have not been identified or verified. This cross-sectional study examined psychosocial factors relating to throwing yips in baseball. Amateur baseball players (N = 292) living in Japan completed a self-report questionnaire on their anxiety/fear about throwing the ball, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire, the Short Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and self-reports evaluating values and social factors relevant to baseball. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that a low values-based throwing score, a high Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire score, and overreprimanding others’ mistakes were positively associated with baseball players’ yips symptoms. These results suggest that changing the context of playing baseball, reducing cognitive fusion, and improving coaching methods could reduce the risk of baseball players’ throwing yips.

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A feasibility study of the incidence and symptoms of the throwing yips in college baseball players

Cited by 3 publications

References 37 publications

Difference in Personality Traits and Symptom Intensity According to the Trigger-Based Classification of Throwing Yips in Baseball Players

Difference in Personality Traits and Symptom Intensity According to the Trigger-Based Classification of Throwing Yips in Baseball Players

Motor imagery ability in baseball players with throwing yips

Relationships Between Throwing Yips in Baseball, Experiential Avoidance, Cognitive Fusion, Values, and Social Factors

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