The Values, Acceptance, and Mindfulness Scale for Ice Hockey: A Psychometric Evaluation

Abstract

There is an increased interest in mindfulness, acceptance, and values based skills training interventions in sports but there is a lack of psychometrically evaluated instruments to investigate the processes adapted to sport populations. This paper describes the development and investigation of an instrument that measure acceptance, mindfulness, and values for ice hockey players. Ice hockey players at elite and sub elite level (n = 94) in Sweden participated in the study. The results reveal that the values, acceptance, and mindfulness (VAMS) shows acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.76) and satisfactory validity. Furthermore, scores on the VAMS predicts ice hockey performance as measured by assists and team points. Future research is suggested to evaluate the sensitivity of the instrument for longitudinal research design studies. In conclusion, VAMS is a useful instrument for practitioners and researchers to increase the knowledge in how psychological processes such as acceptance, mindfulness, and values influence performance among ice hockey players.

Acceptance and Commitment Training to Promote Psychological Flexibility in Ice Hockey Performance: A Controlled Group Feasibility Study

“…The intervention targeted and influenced central ACT processes such as acceptance, mindfulness, and values, which led to a significant increase in psychological flexibility for the ACT group. Psychological flexibility, as measured with VAMS, showed a significant correlation with performance in ice hockey (Lundgren et al, 2018). At post assessment there were medium to large effect sizes between the two groups.…”

“…However, promoted change in a psychological construct proposed to be important for performance cannot be equated to performance itself. No objective performance data was collected in this study and the promoted psychological flexibility's effect on actual performance can therefore not be concluded even though VAMS significantly correlates with objective performance (Lundgren et al, 2018). Therefore more research is needed to investigate the direct effect of training in ACT processes on objective performance as well as indirect performance measures such as psychological flexibility for ice hockey.…”

“…The Values, Acceptance, and Mindfulness Scale for ice hockey (Lundgren et al, 2018) exhibits three sub-scales: Values, Acceptance and Mindfulness in the context of ice hockey. The scale consists of 11 questions and participants' rate on a 1-7 point Likert scale ranging from "always true" to "never true."…”

“…In an ice hockey context, values are defined as the qualitative individual description of how an ice hockey player wants to approach the game and training in order to give themselves the best chance to be successful and enjoy ice hockey. Significant correlations were found between the above-mentioned processes (values, acceptance and mindfulness; VAMS) and life satisfaction (r = −.43, n = 38, p < .001), and depression, stress and anxiety (r = .47, n = 39, p < .001) in ice hockey players (Lundgren et al, 2018). The total scale of the VAMS instrument was also associated with hockey performance outcome such as assists (r = .30, n = 59, p = .020) and team points (the total number of goals and assists made by the team, and goals conceded against, that occur while the player is on the ice) (r = .29, n = 59, p = .028).…”

“…This calls for psychological flexibility from players in order to succeed. Recently, an instrument measuring psychological flexibility in ice hockey, the Values, Acceptance and Mindfulness Scale (VAMS) was developed and psychometrically investigated (Lundgren et al, 2018). An Ice hockey player with PF was defined as a player who approaches development as an ice hockey player by being aware of the experiences that may occur during games and practices, by directing attention towards what is important in given situations, and by acting according to values and goals in the context of ice hockey.…”