A review of behavioral interventions to enhance sports performance

Abstract

these studies use a multicomponent intervention, they often assess novel component combinations or apply an intervention to a scarcely studied or unstudied sport or target behavior.A recent poll found that three quarters of adults in the United States played sports when they were younger, and one quarter of adults continue to play sports throughout their lives, with more than 50 different sports included (Sports and Health in America, 2015). Additionally, participating in sports has numerous physical and social benefits to the athlete. Furthermore, it is reported that 63% of people in the United States describe themselves as sports fans (Carroll, 2005). This demonstrates the significance of sports within society and indicates the importance of a continued focus on the research of sports-related behavior.Perhaps as a result of the prevalence of professional sports and the widespread participation in sports across countries, there has been a proliferation of sports research in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) over the past several decades. Recent publications (e.g., Luiselli & Reed, 2015;Martin, 2015) describe how behavior analytic techniques have been utilized to address a wide range of behaviors across multiple sports and populations.This research is based on principles and procedures of behavioral science established over the past 80 or more years with single-subject designs. Thus, there is not a current review comparing and contrasting the various behavioral procedures that have been used to enhance sports performance and the different sports targeted with a behavioral intervention. The purpose of this paper is to review the research applying behavior analytic procedures to performance enhancement across sports. | METHOD | Inclusion and exclusion criteriaTwo inclusion criteria were used to identify studies for review. First, a behavioral intervention had to be implemented in each study. A behavior intervention includes using any form of an intervention that might alter an observable behavior. Second, the target behavior was sport performance consisting of the measurement of an athlete's observable behavior. Regarding performance enhancement, a sports intervention can target the behavior of the individual playing the sport, or it can target the behavior of the individual coaching the players. Studies were excluded if the focus was solely on physical activity (i.e., exercise promotion) rather than sports performance. Although increasing physical activity can be part of sport performance enhancement, the purpose of such research is generally on health outcomes as opposed to performance enhancement. Additional sports-related studies were excluded if the focus was therapeutic instead of performance based (e.g., using a sports activity to decrease anxiety), the focus was not on performance of a skill related to an organized sport (e.g., throwing a ball), and if the study was not written in English. SCHENK AND MILTENBERGER 249

Increasing accuracy of rock‐climbing techniques in novice athletes using expert modeling and video feedback

“…Behavior analytic procedures have been used to increase skill competency in over 20 sports (Schenk & Miltenberger, 2019). One specific behavior analytic technology that shows promise in sports applications is expert video modeling and video feedback, which has been implemented as either a stand-alone intervention or as part of a multicomponent intervention in many previous studies that address sports performance.…”

“…Expert modeling consists of an individual who is fluent in a skill, deemed the "expert," exhibiting the skill accurately in the presence of a research participant. Video feedback consists of allowing a research participant to view his or her performance either just prior to or just after a skill attempt either with or without vocal feedback (Schenk & Miltenberger, 2019). Boyer et al (2009) investigated the impact of expert modeling and video feedback on gymnastic skills in competitive gymnasts.…”

Precision Teaching and Tap Dance Instruction

“…Applied behavior analysis has an expansive history of using behavioral techniques to enhance the training and performance of athletes in a long list of sports. The list includes football (Allison & Ayllon, 1980;Komaki & Barnett, 1977;Smith & Ward, 2006;Stokes, Luiselli, Reed, & Fleming, 2010;Tai & Miltenberger, 2017;Ward & Carnes, 2002), tennis (Allison & Ayllon, 1980;Ziegler, 1987), swimming (Hume & Crossman, 1992;Koop & Martin, 1983;Rogers, Hemmeter, & Wolery, 2010;Schonwetter, Miltenberger, & Oliver, 2014), soccer (Brobst & Ward, 2002;Ziegler, 1994), gymnastics (Allison & Ayllon, 1980;Boyer, Miltenberger, Batsche, & Fogel, 2009), track and field (Scott & Scott, 1997), basketball (Kladopoulos & McComas, 2001), in-line speed skating (Anderson & Kirkpatrick, 2002), martial arts (Harding, Wacker, Berg, Rick, & Lee, 2004), rugby (Mellalieu, Hanton, & O'Brien, 2006), and many more (Schenk & Miltenberger, 2019).…”

“…Behavioral techniques have also enhanced skills using many procedures and intervention packages (Luiselli, Woods, & Reed, 2011;Schenk & Miltenberger, 2019). In a review by Schenk and Miltenberger (2019), they found that the enhancement of sports performance has been targeted using procedures such as consequence and antecedent manipulations, feedback procedures, skills training, and unique procedures such as habit reversal and acceptance and commitment therapy.…”

“…Behavioral techniques have also enhanced skills using many procedures and intervention packages (Luiselli, Woods, & Reed, 2011;Schenk & Miltenberger, 2019). In a review by Schenk and Miltenberger (2019), they found that the enhancement of sports performance has been targeted using procedures such as consequence and antecedent manipulations, feedback procedures, skills training, and unique procedures such as habit reversal and acceptance and commitment therapy. Some examples of intervention packages used include positive and negative reinforcement, video modeling, teaching with acoustical guidance, public posting, goal setting, verbal and video feedback, self-monitoring, simulated practice, behavioral rehearsal, relaxation, discrimination training, and many more (Luiselli et al, 2011;Schenk & Miltenberger, 2019).…”