Single-Subject Evaluation of a Self-Talk Package for Improving Figure Skating Performance

Abstract

A self-talk package was used to improve performance of compulsory figures by prenovice- and novice-level figure skaters. The study included ongoing objective behavioral assessment across practices of the figure skating performance as well as the extent to which the skaters actually utilized the self-talk. A multi-element design with multiple baseline replications across 4 participants demonstrated that improvements were due to the treatment. Self-report follow-up at 1 year indicated that the participants continued to utilize the selftalk during practices and that they believed that it enhanced their test and/or competitive performance. The results support the view that planned self-talk can aid skill acquisition. Results are conceptualized in terms of rule-governed control over behavior, which may provide a useful framework for enabling sport psychologists to increase the efficacy of self-talk interventions.

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“…It has been suggested by Hardy, Jones, and Gould (1996) that positive self-talk may enhance performance through increases in confidence and anxiety control and Landin (1994) proposed that the effectiveness of positive self-talk was related to attentional processes. A series of studies have reported that positive self-talk is associated with enhanced performance in a number of sports, including figure skating (Ming & Martin, 1996), golf (Kirschenbaum, Owens, & O'Connor, 1998;Thomas & Fogarty, 1997), soccer (Papaioannou et al, 2004), and tennis (Mamassis & Doganis, 2004;McPherson, 2000;Defrancesco & Burke, 1997). Dagrou, Gauvin, and Halliwell (1992) reported that positive self-talk was associated with superior performance, as did Schill, Monroe, Evans, and Ramanaiah (1978).…”

Self-Talk and Female Youth Soccer Performance

“…Countering is a "process of internal debate -using facts, reason, and rational thinking to counter selÊdefeating thoughts" (Williams & Leffingwell, 1996, p. 65 Ming & Martin (1996) discovered that figure skaters continued to use self-talk procedures one year after their study, as they believed the procedures improved performance. Athletes who report using self-talk in practice and competition have also been documented as having superior performances over athletes who do not believe in the utility of self-talk (Van Raalte etal.,1994).…”

Effects of a season‐long PST program on gymnastic performance and on psychological skill development

“…Young athletes participated in Ming and Martin's (1996) and Wanlin et al's (1997) single-subject designed studies. Children also participated in research involving a comparison group (Garza & Feltz, 1998;Lee & Hewitt, 1987;Li-Wei, Qi-Wei, Orlick, & Zitzelsberger, 1992) but in neither case were the participants elite athletes.…”

“…Self-talk is a skill whose benefits have been demonstrated on performance (e.g., Landin & Hebert, 1999;Ming & Martin, 1996). As such, self-talk is involved in many mental skills programs (Kendall, Hryckaiko, Martin, & Kendall, 1990).…”