Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences

Compilation of an Educational Program for Training Mental Skills and Its Effectiveness on the Psychological and Cognitive Characteristics of Teenage Soccer Players in the Competition Season: An Action Research Study

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

1 PhD Candidate in Motor Behavior, Departmentof Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Motor Behavior, School of Physical Education and Sport Science, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

10.48305/jrrs.2023.42051.1065

Abstract

Introduction: The mental skills of athletes are the factors that cause differences in the optimal level of performance of athletes during the competition season. The purpose of this research was to compile an educational program for training mental skills and assess its effectiveness on the psychological and cognitive characteristics of teenage football players in the competition season.
Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 21 male adolescent athletes with an age range of 11 to 13 years from a specialized football academy who participated in the Isfahan City premier league were selected as participants in this study. The study method used was action research and the data collection method was qualitative. For this purpose, data were collected by monitoring verbal and non-verbal behaviors of the players, and semi-structured interviews with the coaches and parents of the athletes to understand the thoughts, feelings, and attitudes of the participants. The collected data were carefully implemented and analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method.
Results: Research findings consisted of the 8 global themes of team cohesion, positive self-talk, self-care, low self-confidence, acceptance of football rules, concentration and recovery of concentration, performance under pressure (routine), and prevention of distractions.
Conclusion: Mental skills training differs based on the needs of athletes in the competition season. Since paying attention to identified needs and mental skill programs during the competition season is important for athletes, it is necessary that coaches, psychologists, and sports managers pay attention to environmental and individual factors to develop an effective mental skills program.

Keywords

Main Subjects

  1. Ulucan K, Topal E, Aksulu B, Yaman B, Ciftci s, Bıyıklı T. Atletic performance, genetics and gene doping. İstanbul Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Tıp Dergisi 2015; 7(2): 58-62.
  2. Ericsson KA, Krampe RT, Tesch-Romer C. The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance. Psychol Rev 1993; 100(3): 363-406.
  3. Feltz D, Landers D. The effects of mental practice on motor skill learning and performance: A meta-analysis. J Sport Psychol 2007; 5(1): 25-57.
  4. Corbally L, Wilkinson M, Fothergill MA. Effects of mindfulness practice on performance and factors related to performance in long-distance running: A systematic review. J Clin Sport Psychol 2020; 14(4): 376-98.
  5. Metan H, Kucuk V. The Effect of psychological skill training program and positive feedback on handball player’s self-efficacy beliefs and their shot accuracy. Ann Appl Sport Sci 2022; 10(3): e1060.
  6. Kiens K, Larsen CH. Provision of a mental skills intervention program in an elite sport school for student-athletes. J Sport Psychol Action 2020; 12(2): 1-15.
  7. Fortes L, Freitas-Jonior C, Paes P, Vieira L, Nascimento Junior JR, de Lima-Junior D, et al. Effect of an eight-week imagery training programme on passing decision-making of young volleyball players. Int J Sport Exerc Psychol 2018; 18(1): 120-8.
  8. Lim T, O'Sullivan DM. Case study of mental skills training for a taekwondo Olympian. J Hum Kinet 2016; 50: 235-45.
  9. Gucciardi DF, Gordon S, Dimmock JA. Development and preliminary validation of a mental toughness inventory for Australian football. Psychol Sport Exerc 2009; 10(1): 201-9.
  10. Sandovici Ao, Alexe D. Psychological training program for professional athletes. Bulletin of Transilvania University of Brasov 2018; 11(1): 85-94.
  11. Morahan A. Effects of psychological skills training on golf performance [MSc Thesis]. Cullowhee, NC: Western Carolina University; 2018.
  12. Mariani AM, Marcolongo F, Melchiori FM, Cassese FP. Mental skill training to enhance sport motivation in adolescents. J Phys Educ Sport 2019; 19: 1908-13.
  13. Holt NL, Tamminen KA. Improving grounded theory research in sport and exercise psychology: Further reflections as a response to Mike Weed. Psychol Sport Exerc 2010; 11(6): 405-13.
  14. Lamont E, Harris J, McDonald G, Kerin T, Dickens GL. Qualitative investigation of the role of collaborative football and walking football groups in mental health recovery. Ment Health Phys Act 2017; 12: 116-23.
  15. Thøgersen -Ntoumani C, Fox KR, Ntoumanis N. Relationships between exercise and three components of mental well-being in corporate employees. Psychol Sport Exerc 2005; 6(6): 609-27.
  16. Dohme LC, Bloom G, Piggott D, Backhouse S. Development, implementation, and evaluation of an athlete-informed mental skills training program for elite youth tennis players. J Appl Sport Psychol. 2019; 32(5): 429-49.
  17. Morgan TK. A season-long mental skills training program for collegiate volleyball players [PhD Thesis]. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee; 2006.
  18. Saha S. Concept of better football. Kolkata, India: Natraj Offset; 1996.
  19. Behncke L. Mental skills training for sports: A brief review. Athletic Insight 2004; 6(1): 1-19.
  20. Brewer BW, Shillinglaw R. Evaluation of a psychological skills training workshop for male intercollegiate lacrosse players. The Sport Psychologist 1992; 6(2): 139-47.
  21. Schultz DP, Schultz SE. Theories of personality. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2016.
  22. Hill D, Hanton, Matthews N, Fleming S. Alleviation of choking under pressure in elite golf: An action research study. The Sport Psychologist 2011; 25: 465-88.
  23. Kemmis S, McTaggart R, Nixon R. Introducing critical participatory action research. In: Kemmis S, McTaggart R, Nixon R, editors. The action research planner: doing critical participatory action research. Singapore: Springer Singapore; 2014. p. 1-31.
  24. Hodgkinson GP, Herriot P. The role of psychologists in enhancing organizational effectiveness. In: Robertson IT, Callinan M, Bartram D, editors. Organizational Effectiveness. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2002. p. 45-60.
  25. Speziale HS, Streubert HJ, Carpenter DR. Qualitative research in nursing: advancing the humanistic imperative. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2011.
  26. Evans L, Hardy L, Fleming S. Intervention strategies with injured athletes: An action research study. The Sport Psychologist 2000; 14(2): 188-206.
  27. Clarke V, Braun V. Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. London, UK: Sage; 2013.
  28. McNiff J. Action research: principles and practice. London, UK: Routledge; 2013.
  29. Toulabi t, Vanaki z, Memarian r, Namdari m. Optimization of hospital electronic information system in cardiac care unit: A participatory action research. Yafte 2013; 14(5): 83-91. [In Persian].
  30. Smith B, McGannon KR. Developing rigor in qualitative research: problems and opportunities within sport and exercise psychology. Int Rev Sport Exerc Psychol 2018; 11(1): 101-21.
  31. Holland M, Woodcock C, Cumming J, Duda J. Mental qualities and employed mental techniques of young elite team sport athletes. J Clin Sport Psychol 2010; 4(1): 19-38.
  32. Thelwell RC, Greenlees IA. The effects of a mental skills training package on gymnasium triathlon performance. The Sport Psychologist 2001; 15(2): 127-41.
  33. Daw J, Burton D. Evaluation of a comprehensive psychological skills training program for collegiate tennis players. The Sport Psychologist 1994; 8(1): 37-57.
  34. Mace R. Cognitive behavioural interventions in sport. In J. G. Jones JG, Hardy L, editors. Stress and performance in sport. London, UK: Wiley; 1990. p. 203-30.
  35. Thrower SN, Harwood CG, Spray CM. Educating and supporting tennis parents using web-based delivery methods: a novel online education program. J Appl Sport Psychol 2019; 31(3): 303-23.
  36. Weber RP. Basic Content Analysis. London, UK: Sage; 1990.
  37. Bouncken RB, Qiu Y, Sinkovics N, Kursten W. Qualitative research: extending the range with flexible pattern matching. Rev Manag Sci 2021; 15(2): 251-73.
  38. Festinger LA. A Theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press; 1957.
  39. Durand-Bush N, Salmela JH. The development and maintenance of expert athletic performance: perceptions of world and Olympic champions. J Appl Sport Psychol 2002; 14(3): 154-71.
  40. Brandao MAG, Barros ALBL, Canicali PC, Bispo GS, Lopes ROP. Nursing theories in the conceptual expansion of good practices in nursing. Rev Bras Enferm 2019; 72(2): 577-81.
  41. Vaez Mousavi S, Fethullah Moseibi M. Sports psychology. 9th Tehran, Iran: SAMT Publications; 2017. p. 41. [In Persian].
  42. Aghdasi An, Eydi RA. A study of the relationship between mental health and confronting procedures among the spinal cord. Journal of Instruction and Evaluation 2012; 4(16): 51-67. [In Persian].
  43. Flaxman PE, Blackledge JT, Bond FW. Acceptance and commitment therapy: Distinctive features. London, UK: Routledge; 2010.
  44. Cook C, Crust L, Littlewood M, Nesti M, Allen-Collinson J. “What it takes”: Perceptions of mental toughness and its development in an English Premier League Soccer Academy. Qual Res Sport Exerc Health 2014; 6(3): 329-47.
  45. Sedarati M. Competitive anxiety level of the female athletes. Women's Studies Sociological and Psychological 2004; 2(5): 112-27. [In Persian].
  46. Khoran MT, Latifi H. Role of psychological preparation in team cohesion and success of student soccer teams. Journal of Human Resource Management in Sport 2021; 8(1): 93-104.
  47. Van Raalte J, Vincent A, Brewer B. Self-Talk: Review and sport-specific model. Psychol Sport Exerc 2015; 22: 139-48.
  48. Kozub SA, McDonnell JF. Exploring the relationship between cohesion and collective efficacy in rugby teams. J Sport Behav 2000; 23(2): 120-9.
  49. De Muynck GJ, Soenens B, Delrue J, Comoutos N, Vansteenkiste M. Strengthening the assessment of self-talk in sports through a multi-method approach. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2020; 30(3): 602-14.
  50. Rupert P, Dorociak K. Self-care, stress, and well-being among practicing psychologists. Prof Psychol: Res Pract 2019; 50(5): 343.
  51. Mohsen S, Seyed MK. The effect of self-care on depression and quality of life of athletes in retirement. Sociology of Sport 2022; 7(18): 137-52. [In Persian].
  52. Murphy-Mills J. An examination of coach-athlete interactions in a model sport program for athletes with disabilities [MSC Thesis]. School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University at Kingston; 2011.
  53. Uosefi B, Sayadi M, Abbasi H, Eidipour K. The relationship between teacher autonomy Hmayty- style with fear of failure and self-esteem in young athletes in Kermanshah. Applied Research in Sport Management 2017; 5(4): 71-7. [In Persian].
  54. Khosravipour B, Furunshani N. Women's participation and sustainable rural development, Work and Society Quarterly, Vol. 2011. 132: 78-56. [In Persian]. 2023.
  55. Uludag S, Dorak F, Vurgun N, Yuzbasioglu Y, Ates E. Effects of 10 weeks of imagery and concentration training on visual focus and free-throw performance in basketball players. J Phys Educ Sport 2021; 21(4): 1761-8.
  56. Etaati Z, Gharayagh Zandi H, Bahrami A. The effect of attentional focus skills training on flow of basketball players. Iranian Journal of Motor Behavior and Sport Psychology 2021; 1(2): 11-20. [In Persian].
  57. Shahbazi M, Vazini A, Hadadi N. The effect of viewer-induced arousal on depth perception in male and female athletes. Journal of Sports and Motor Development and Learning 2010; 2(2): 135-48. [In Persian].
  58. Croce RV, Rock SL. Effect of peer presence on the fine-motor performance of adults with mental retardation. Clin Kinesiol 1991; 45: 11-7.
Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences
Volume 18, Issue 1
2022
Pages 170-180
  • Receive Date: 09 September 2023
  • Revise Date: 17 October 2023
  • Accept Date: 28 October 2023