Injury Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Follow-up Study

Abstract

The current qualitative follow-up study was conducted to enhance the interpretability and meaningfulness of the findings emerging from a 5-week goal-setting intervention study with injured athletes. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 9 injured athletes, 3 from each of the three intervention study groups (goal-setting, social support control, and control), and cross-case summaries were inductively derived. The study highlighted the importance of individual difference variables, and the interaction of person and situational variables, including support from coaches and club, inability to train, weight gain, slowness of progress, physiotherapist support, and the importance of long-term outcome goals. Possible mechanisms for the observed effects of the goal-setting intervention included the effects of goal-setting on self-efficacy, attributions, perceptions of control, and attention.     

Injury rehabilitation: a goal-setting intervention study

The study examined the effects of a 5-week goal-setting intervention on athletes' rehabilitation adherence, self-efficacy, treatment efficacy, and the psychological response variables: dispirited and reorganization. Participants were matched across six variables and randomly assigned to one of three groups: goal-setting intervention, social support control, and control. The results confirmed some of the hypothesized effects of the goal-setting intervention: (a) athlete self-report of adherence showed the goal-setting group adhered significantly more to the rehabilitation program than the other two groups; (b) the goal-setting intervention resulted in significant group differences for self-efficacy (the goal-setting group having the highest level of self-efficacy); and (c) there was a significant increase across time for reorganization and decrease across time for dispirited (between specific time phases).     

Effectiveness of psychological intervention following sport injury

With increasing attention given to the development and implementation of psychological interventions during the sport injury rehabilitation process, there is a need to document the effectiveness of these interventions. The purpose of this review was to summarize the empirical findings of the effects of psychological interventions in reducing post-injury psychological consequences and improving psychological coping during the injury rehabilitation process among competitive and recreational athletes. In February 2012, utilizing a comprehensive search strategy, we conducted electronic searches of multiple electronic databases for randomized and nonrandomized control trials that evaluated interventions targeting populations of injured competitive and recreational athletes age 17 years and older. We included interventions that directly intervene on injured athletes' psychological outcomes (e.g., psychological consequences, psychological coping and re-injury anxiety) and utilized psychological strategies including imagery, goal-setting, relaxation, and other common techniques during the post-injury rehabilitation period. Six studies, described in seven peer-reviewed published articles, met study inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Of those studies, two included randomized control trials, two used before and after study designs and two were case study designs. Two interventions utilized guided imagery and relaxation, two interventions utilized goal-setting and one each utilized microcounseling, written disclosure, and acceptance and commitment therapy. Guided imagery/relaxation was shown to be associated with improved psychological coping and reduced re-injury anxiety. Goal setting, however, was not directly associated with the reduction of negative psychological consequences. Other psychological techniques such as microcounseling skills, acceptance and commitment therapy, and written disclosure have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing negative psychological consequences, improving psychological coping, and reducing re-injury anxiety. Our findings suggest a significant need to develop and implement well-designed intervention studies that target improvement of post-injury psychological outcomes in order to assist injured athletes successfully recovery from sport injury.     

A season-long team-building intervention: examining the effect of team goal setting on cohesion

The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the implementation of a season-long team-building intervention program using team goal setting increased perceptions of cohesion. The participants were 86 female high school basketball players from 8 teams. The teams were randomly assigned to either an experimental team goal-setting or control condition. Each participant completed the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ; Carron, Brawley, & Widmeyer, 2002; Carron, Widmeyer, & Brawley, 1985), which assessed cohesion at both the beginning and end of the season. Overall, the results revealed a significant multivariate effect, Pillai's trace F(12, 438) = 2.68, p = .002. Post hoc analyses showed that at the beginning of the season, athletes from both conditions did not differ in their perceptions of cohesion. However, at the end of the season, athletes in the team goal-setting condition held higher perceptions of cohesion than athletes in the control condition. Overall, the results indicated that team goal setting was an effective team-building tool for influencing cohesiveness in sport teams.     

Basic psychological skills usage and competitive anxiety responses: perceived underlying mechanisms

This study examined the relationship between basic psychological skills usage (i.e., goal-setting, imagery, self-talk, and relaxation) and the intensity and directional dimensions of competitive anxiety. Semistructured interviews were used on a sample of 15 elite athletes (M age = 24.3 years, SD = 4.2) from a variety of team and individual sports. Findings revealed that the participants maintained the intensity of their anxiety response prior to competition and could deploy goal-setting, imagery, or self-talk to enable facilitative interpretations of anxiety-related symptoms to performance. Higher levels of self-confidence and an optimistic outlook toward forthcoming competition were also expressed. The underlying mechanisms perceived to be responsible for these effects included effort and motivation, attentional focus, and perceived control over the anxiety response.     

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) among adolescent athletes

The aim of the present study was to examine the factorial validity of the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS; Thomas et al., ) among adolescent athletes using confirmatory factor analysis. The TOPS was designed to assess eight psychological strategies used in competition (i.e. activation, automaticity, emotional control, goal-setting, imagery, negative thinking, relaxation and self-talk,) and eight used in practice (the same strategies except negative thinking is replaced by attentional control). National-level athletes (n?=?584) completed the 64-item TOPS during training camps. Fit indices provided partial support for the overall measurement model for the competition items (robust comparative fit index?=?0.92, Tucker-Lewis index?=?0.88, root mean square error of approximation?=?0.05) but minimal support for the training items (robust comparative fit index?=?0.86, Tucker-Lewis index?=?0.81, root mean square error of approximation?=?0.06). For the competition items, the automaticity, goal-setting, relaxation and self-talk scales showed good fit, whereas the activation, emotional control, imagery and negative thinking scales did not. For the practice items, the attentional control, emotional control, goal-setting, imagery and self-talk scales showed good fit, whereas the activation, automaticity and relaxation scales did not. Overall, it appears that the factorial validity of the TOPS for use with adolescents is questionable at present and further development is required.     

Physical Fitness and Cardiac Risk Factors of Professional Firefighters across the Career Span

This study examined the relationship between basic psychological skills usage (i.e., goal-setting, imagery, self-talk, and relaxation) and the intensity and directional dimensions of competitive anxiety. Semistructured interviews were used on a sample of 15 elite athletes (M age = 24.3 years, SD = 4.2) from a variety of team and individual sports. Findings revealed that the participants maintained the intensity of their anxiety response prior to competition and could deploy goal-setting, imagery, or self-talk to enable facilitative interpretations of anxiety-related symptoms to performance. Higher levels of self-confidence and an optimistic outlook toward forthcoming competition were also expressed. The underlying mechanisms perceived to be responsible for these effects included effort and motivation, attentional focus, and perceived control over the anxiety response.     

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) among adolescent athletes

The aim of the present study was to examine the factorial validity of the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS; Thomas et al., 1999) among adolescent athletes using confirmatory factor analysis. The TOPS was designed to assess eight psychological strategies used in competition (i.e. activation, automaticity, emotional control, goal-setting, imagery, negative thinking, relaxation and self-talk,) and eight used in practice (the same strategies except negative thinking is replaced by attentional control). National-level athletes (n = 584) completed the 64-item TOPS during training camps. Fit indices provided partial support for the overall measurement model for the competition items (robust comparative fit index = 0.92, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.88, root mean square error of approximation = 0.05) but minimal support for the training items (robust comparative fit index = 0.86, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.81, root mean square error of approximation = 0.06). For the competition items, the automaticity, goal-setting, relaxation and self-talk scales showed good fit, whereas the activation, emotional control, imagery and negative thinking scales did not. For the practice items, the attentional control, emotional control, goal-setting, imagery and self-talk scales showed good fit, whereas the activation, automaticity and relaxation scales did not. Overall, it appears that the factorial validity of the TOPS for use with adolescents is questionable at present and further development is required.     

不同目标设置对青少年网球运动员发球成功率及自我监控能力影响的研究

根据目标设置理论,设置不同难度目标对青少年网球运动员发球落点成功率及自我监控能力影响进行实验研究,探讨合理的目标设置对运动员的发球落点成功率及自我监控能力各维度的影响。研究结果显示,合理的目标设置训练能够较好的促进网球运动员发球落点成功率以及网球运动员自我监控能力各维度控制效果的提高,为网球教练员及运动员提供有益帮助。     

运动员的目标定向与心理技能的关系

通过对94名大学生运动员的问卷调查，发现运动员的目标定向与心理技能之间存在相关关系，任务定向与目标设置技能、接受教练指导的能力有显著的正相关，而自我定向与承受压力的技能有显著的正相关。研究还发现，高任务定向的运动员在目标设置、自信心以及接受教练指导的能力上的得分明显高于低任务定向的运动员；高自我定向的运动员在承受压力、目标设置、集中注意、摆脱担心、以及自信心等5个指标上自自得分明显高于低自我定向的运动员。     

Young,talented and injured: Injury perceptions,experiences and consequences in adolescent elite athletes

Even though injury is common in elite sports, there is still a lack of knowledge of young athletes’ injury perception both during and after injury. The aim of this mixed-method study was, therefore, to explore, in-depth, data on injury consequences and adolescent elite athletes’ perceptions and experience of injury. Three hundred and forty adolescent elite athletes (age range 15–19), from 16 different sports, were bi-weekly monitored over 52 weeks using a valid questionnaire. Twenty athletes from the same cohort were interviewed in focus groups about injury experience and perceptions. The results show that the average bi-weekly prevalence of injury was 38.7% (95% CI 37.3–40.1), with 30.0% (n?=?102) of the athletes injured for more than half of all reporting times. An overarching theme from the focus groups highlighted the risk among young athletes of a loss of identity while injured. The findings support several suggestions that may improve the rehabilitation process and enhance rehabilitation outcomes: (a) provide clear pathways to the medical team, (b) recognize the identity loss, (c) involve the injured athletes with the rest of the teammates and (d) educate athletes about how to interpret pain signals. Future research should explore and evaluate the effectiveness and generalization of such interventions.     

考察影响锻炼行为改变的调节变量--一项促进大学生身体活动的干预研究

目的：从两方面考察一项大学生身体活动促进研究的干预效果：1）干预是否改变了假想的调节变量；2）调节变量的改变是否与行为变化有关。方法：准实验设计。大学一年级学生被随机分为旨在促进身体活动的干预组和控制组。在学期初及干预后第8周，测量所有学生的身体活动结果和5个相关调节变量。结果：干预在女生的2个调节变量（自我效能创造时间锻炼方面，自我效能坚持不懈方面）上有显著性影响；而在男生的调节变量上无显著性影响。女生的3个调节变量变化得分（来自朋友的社会支持，来自家人的社会支持以及自我效能消极情感方面）是解释身体活动变化的回归分析中的显著性贡献因子，男生的身体活动变化中的2个显著性贡献因子分别是来自朋友的社会支持变化得分，自我效能坚持不懈方面的变化得分。结论：干预引起的女生的调节变量的显著改变与身体活动变化之间并没有显著性关联。干预研究的有效性没有得到验证。今后要在变量选择的多样性、测量过程的准确性、干预内容及相关理论方面进行改进。     

Exposing athletes to playing form activity: outcomes of a randomised control trial among community netball teams using a game-centred approach

This study evaluated whether exposing junior netball players to greater amounts of competition relevant activity (playing form activity) had an effect on game play outcomes and session involvement. A group-randomised controlled trial in one junior netball club in the Hunter Region, NSW, Australia. Ninety female athletes (mean age = 9.04 years, SD 1.53) were randomised by team (n = 11) into the intervention (n = 41) or 9-week wait-list control (n = 49) condition. The Professional Learning for Understanding Games Education into Sport (PLUNGE into Sport) programme was undertaken in the first half of nine training sessions (9 × 30 min). The intervention exposed athletes to playing form activity through a coach development programme within training sessions. Athletes’ decision-making, support and skill outcomes during a small-sided invasion game, and session involvement (pedometer step/min), were measured at baseline and 9-week follow-up. Linear mixed models revealed significant group-by-time intervention effects (P < 0.05) for decision-making (d = 0.4) and support (d = 0.5) during game play, and in-session activity (d = 1.2). An intervention exposing athletes to greater levels of playing form activity, delivered via a coach education programme, was efficacious in improving athlete decision-making and support skills in game play and increasing athlete involvement during sessions.     

Validating Coach-Athlete Relationship Measures with the Nomological Network

The coach-athlete relationship is viewed as a multidimensional situational construct containing three factors: namely, closeness, commitment, and complementarity (3 Cs) that can be captured from a direct perspective and a meta-perspective. This conceptualization is primarily based on research conducted with samples that mix student and non-student athletes. This study aimed to examine the factorial structure of the direct and meta-perspective versions of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) in a sample of student athletes. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the validity of a model with separate yet correlated factors for the 3 Cs. Furthermore, the 3 Cs were found to be related in a conceptually coherent manner with such outcome variables as support from coach, significance of the relationship (depth), and the level of conflict experienced in the relationship. The results contribute further evidence to the utility of the CART-Q for the assessment of the quality of the coach-athlete relationship in student athletes.     

Effects of a motivational climate inntervention for coaches on young athletes' sport performance anxiety

The mastery approach to coaching is a cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to promote a mastery-involving motivational climate, shown in previous research to be related to lower anxiety in athletes. We tested the effects of this intervention on motivational climate and on changes in male and female athletes'cognitive and somatic performance anxiety over the course of a basketball season. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that the athletes in the intervention condition perceived their coaches as being more mastery-involving on the Motivational Climate Scale for Youth Sports when compared to athletes in an untreated control condition. Relative to athletes who played for untrained coaches, those who played for the trained coaches exhibited decreases on all subscales of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 and on total anxiety score from preseason to late season. Control group athletes reported increases in anxiety over the season. The intervention had equally positive effects on boys and girls teams.     

少儿运动员运动性贫血治疗方法比较

为探讨少儿运动员运动性贫血的有效可行的治疗方法 ,采用随机对照的方法 ,将受试对象分为三个组 :饮食干预补铁组 ,间歇补铁组和对照组 ,干预和治疗时间为三个月 ,以血红蛋白为评价指标 ,比较治疗效果。认为在少儿运动员中进行营养知识教育和饮食行为干预是预防和治疗运动性贫血的好方法 ,必要时饮食干预和间歇补铁同时应用 ,能达到理想的治疗效果。     

Effects of Goal-Setting Interventions on Selected Basketball Skills: A Single-Subject Design

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a goal-setting intervention program on selected components of basketball performance over the course of a competitive season. A multiple-baseline, single-subject design was used with baseline observations on various performance components (e.g., turnovers, rebounds), collected for four elite college basketball players during their first eight games of the season. At the midseason break, these players selected one aspect of their play that they felt would benefit from improvement. A goal-setting program was designed based on the goal attainment scaling procedure recommended by Smith (1988), whereby subjects generated numerical targets for their chosen components. Performance components were then assessed for the next eight games as they had been in the preintervention phase. Following the intervention, 3 of the 4 subjects showed consistent improvements in their targeted area of performance. Also, there were no outcome changes in the performance components that weren't targeted by the subjects. The findings suggest that future studies may benefit from achieving greater ecological validity and utilizing alternative designs to the traditional nomothetic approaches which may tend to mask positive intervention effects on certain individuals.     

东京奥运会延期背景下我国运动员面临的挑战、契机及应对路径

围绕新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情背景下东京奥运会延期对运动员的挑战和契机进行研究。结果认为:东京奥运会延期从备战周期、职业生涯、赛程安排等方面给运动员带来挑战;同时在技术改进补全短板、伤病运动员进行恢复、未获奥运资格运动员发展空间等方面存在契机。为此从创新竞赛方式、调整作战计划、设计保障预案、强化心理辅导、注重信息采集等方面,帮助运动员科学备战东京奥运会。     

Stressors experienced by injured athletes

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the stressors experienced by injured athletes during three phases of their recovery from sport injury, and (b) to explore the differences in the stressors experienced by team as compared to individual-sport athletes. Participants comprised previously injured high-level rugby union players (n = 5) and golfers (n = 5). Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the stressors participants experienced during three phases of injury (onset, rehabilitation and return to competitive sport). Within- and cross-case analyses showed that athletes experienced sport, medical/physical, social and financial stressors. There were a number of differences in the stressors experienced across the three phases and between team and individual-sport athletes. Findings have important implications for the design and implementation of interventions aimed at managing the potentially stressful sport injury experience and facilitating injured athletes' return to competitive sport.     

A survey of U.S. Atlanta and Nagano Olympians: variables perceived to influence performance

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and magnitude of specific variables perceived to have affected U.S. Olympic athlete performance. Participants included 296 Atlanta Olympians and 83 Nagano Olympians. Olympians rated how they perceived specific variables influenced their Olympic performance. Results revealed that numerous variables, including performance influences, such as preparation for distractions and loss of composure; team variables, such as strong cohesion and positive coach-athlete relationships; coaching variables, including coach's ability to deal with crises and coaching expectations; family-friend variables, including general social support and getting event tickets for family and friends; and environmental concerns, such as venue transportation difficulties and Olympic village distractions; were perceived to influence performance. Findings verified the results of qualitative interviews conducted with Olympic athletes and coaches.