Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2016

College/Unit

College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences

Department/Program/Center

Sport and Exercise Psychology

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of an applied mental skills training (MST) intervention utilizing mental skills to enhance intrinsic sources of enjoyment (ISOEs) as a means of promoting self-confidence, motivational style, and athletic performance, while also decreasing trait anxiety. The interven-tion project was designed to increase intrinsic SOE using a systematic and individualized mental training protocol, and then examine its relationships to mental skills and soccer perfor-mance. A Division 1 collegiate women’s soccer team was ran-domly assigned to treatment (n = 8) and control (n = 11) groups, equally distributed by academic year, position, and pre-season coach-evaluated starters and non-starts. Results revealed that the MST intervention significantly increased intrinsic enjoyment targeted psychological and competitive outcomes, both in prac-tice and competition within the treatment group as compared to the control group. This study’s support for the impact mental skills training may have had on ISOEs, as well as other psycho-social outcomes and athletic performance can serve to highlight a mental skill often overlooked by consultants and coaches.

Source Citation

Barnicle, S. P., Burton, D. (2016). Enhancing Collegiate Women’s Soccer Psychosocial and Performance Outcomes by Promoting Intrinsic Sources of Sport Enjoyment. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 15, 678–687.

Comments

The article is supported by the WVU Libraries' Open Access Author Fund.

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