Expert Coaches' Perceptions of Athlete Performance Optimization

Tracey, Jill; Elcombe, Tim

doi:10.1260/1747-9541.10.6.1001

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(60 reference statements)

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“…Jackson and Roberts (1992) found that participants’ worst performance was associated with worrying about the outcome, the third strand of research on competition. Several studies of elite athletes (Cohn, 1991), coaches of elite athletes (Tracey, Elcombe, Culp, Carlson, & Petitpas, 2015), and other participants (Privette & Bundrick, 1997; van de Pol, Kavussanu, & Ring, 2012) have yielded similar findings. On the basis of these and similar studies, researchers have concluded that training athletes on psychosocial skills can increase performance outcomes in competition and that competition is associated with specific positive motivational states (Greenspan & Feltz, 1989; Harmison, 2006; Martin, Vause, & Schwartzman, 2005).…”

Section: Positive Psychology Competition and Outstanding Performancementioning

confidence: 64%

Competition's Role in Developing Psychological Strength and Outstanding Performance

Worrell

Knotek

Plucker

et al. 2016

Review of General Psychology

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Competition, a topic closely associated with outstanding performance, continues to be a contentious topic ( Bonta, 1997 ; Murayama & Elliot, 2012a , 2012b ), particularly in the realm of education and schooling ( D. W. Johnson & Johnson, 1987 , 2009 ). Is competition a useful or detrimental strategy for promoting outstanding performance? Does competition contribute positively to performance or should it be avoided? In this article, we took on the challenge of exploring the relationship between competition and high performance and making recommendations about how competition can be used in promoting adaptive youth development. We begin by defining competition and outstanding performance. We then discuss competition in the context of the positive psychology movement, followed by brief reviews of literature showcasing how competition is related to enhanced performance in sport, organizational settings, and academic domains. Next, we discuss competition's relationship to creativity. The article closes with a discussion of the implications of this work for practice and research. It is our hope that this work will result in increased attention to high performance psychology as an important focus for scholarship and application in a wide range of arenas, from schools and the workplace to athletic and artistic venues.

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Section: Positive Psychology Competition and Outstanding Performancementioning

confidence: 64%

Competition's Role in Developing Psychological Strength and Outstanding Performance

Worrell

Knotek

Plucker

et al. 2016

Review of General Psychology

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“…T here has been growing interest in the role of mindfulness in athletic performance. 1 The most commonly used approach is Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) including a package specifically designed for athletes. 2 MAC emphasises the importance of a person-centred, non-judgemental awareness of inner and outer stimuli in improving performance with beneficial outcomes in semi-professional football, martial arts and para-sports including improved psychological well-being (PWB).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of a mindfulness programme training on mental toughness and psychological well-being of female athletes

Ajilchi

Mohebi

Zarei

et al. 2021

Australas Psychiatry

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Objectives Research has shown that mindfulness in athletes is associated with positive outcomes. We therefore assessed the effect of mindfulness training on increasing mental toughness (MT) and psychological well-being (PWB). Methods This was a parallel-group, pre-and post-test, randomised controlled pilot trial. Forty-five female athletes from Iranian universities in Tehran were randomly assigned into experimental ( n = 23) and control groups ( n = 22). Forty-two completed the trial. The mindfulness training group received the Mindfulness–Acceptance–Commitment programme for 7 weeks. All subjects completed the Mindfulness Inventory for Sport (MIS), Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire and PWB Scale. Data were analysed using mixed analysis of variance. Results Mindfulness training increased mindfulness in the experimental group ( p < 0.01). In turn, increased mindfulness led to increased MT and PWB at 2-month follow-up ( p < 0.05). Conclusions Given that mindfulness training may increase the MT and PWB of athletes, these techniques should be considered for inclusion in sports coaching.

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“…Given elite-level coaches generally experience time-related challenges due to internally and externally imposed pressures [ 1 , 4 , 8 ], coaches may not consider the management of their own mental health as a competitive priority when compared with other influences (e.g. tactical advantages) [ 47 ]. Exploring the link between mental health and coaching effectiveness could therefore have potential value from a performance and ecological perspective.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review

Frost,

Walton,

Purcell

et al. 2024

Sports Med - Open

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Background Elite-level coaches are exposed to multiple performance, organisational and personal stressors which may contribute to reduced mental health and wellbeing. This systematic scoping review examined the current body of evidence to explore what is known about the mental health of elite-level coaches (i.e. wellbeing and mental ill-health), the risk and protective factors that influence coach mental health, and the relationship between mental health and coaching effectiveness. Methods The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. A systematic search was undertaken and updated in September 2022 using six electronic databases. Results 12,376 studies were identified and screened, with 42 studies satisfying the inclusion criteria. Despite the paucity of high-quality research, findings indicated that 40% of the included studies examined themes connected to wellbeing, with 76% assessing the nature or prevalence of mental ill-health in elite-level coaches. Among studies exploring mental ill-health, coach burnout was the primary focus, while scant research examined symptoms associated with clinical disorders (e.g. anxiety and depression). Overall, psychological outcomes for elite-level coaches were shaped by risk and protective factors operating at the individual, interpersonal, organisational and societal level. Preliminary evidence was also found to suggest that poor mental health may contribute to reduced coaching effectiveness. It is proposed that coaching effectiveness could therefore be employed as a ‘hook’ to engage elite-level coaches in greater consideration of their mental health needs. Conclusion Alongside the development of methodologically robust research, there is a need to examine dynamic individual (e.g. psychological skills), interpersonal (e.g. strong social supports) and organisational (e.g. workload) factors that aim to preserve the mental health and optimise the efficacy of elite-level coaches.

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Expert Coaches' Perceptions of Athlete Performance Optimization

Cited by 6 publications

References 27 publications

Competition's Role in Developing Psychological Strength and Outstanding Performance

Competition's Role in Developing Psychological Strength and Outstanding Performance

Effect of a mindfulness programme training on mental toughness and psychological well-being of female athletes

The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review

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