Cultural competence in sports psychology

A recent global study shows that sports psychology professionals must prioritize cultural competence beyond a checklist, considering it an ethical duty for effective practice. The research highlights the need to actively develop this competence through learning from mistakes and open conversations, grounding it in personal and professional experiences for meaningful cultural understanding.

Executive summary of the Gold Medal Profile for Sport Psychology

Overview To achieve excellence, athletes must dedicate themselves not only to honing their physical fitness, but also to mastering the intricacies of their psychological skills. While extensive research has probed into the psychological attributes, states, and competencies of elite athletes, there persists a notable dearth of comprehensive conceptual models or frameworks that effectively bring together…

Protecting Athletes from Burnout

Athletes who experience strong support and a sense of belonging within their team are less likely to burnout. Coaches should encourage this sense of belonging to enrich athletes’ experiences and prevent dropout. However, too many team rules can burden athletes, impede support, and exacerbate burnout. Striking the right balance between team unity and support is…

Choking Under Pressure

Choking is defined as a decrease in performance that happens in high pressure or anxiety-provoking situations. It often occurs in sports because of internal and external pressures that are present during competitions or big events. Visualization, practicing for pressure, developing a pre-performance routine, and developing a stress mindset can help decrease the chances of choking.

Motor Learning Without Physical Practice

Did you know that imagining yourself performing motor skills can actually improve your performance? In a recent study, participants who combined watching actions with motor imagery achieved faster movement execution times compared to other groups with improvements lasting even after a week. lasted even after a week. These findings can help athletes develop complex motor…

“Keep trying, it took me a while to get that too!” The effects of peer feedback on relation-inferred self-efficacy (RISE), self-efficacy, and motivation in youth sport

Project Summary  Peer influences are among the strongest social influences of children’s attitudes and behaviours at early ages. Yet, despite the potential for peer influences to change behaviour, few studies have investigated the role of peer influences on children’s thoughts about their physical capabilities or sport participation. Beliefs in our own abilities, or self-efficacy, guide…

Effective Cheering

Did you know that cheering for runners is more than just words? Research reveals that providing instructional and motivational support is appreciated by runners, but its effectiveness depends on factors like the runner’s condition and course feedback accuracy. While support is usually uplifting, it can also create pressure. Experts suggest using the “IMPACT” approach (Instructional,…

Improving athlete mental health

Mental illness affects 35% of elite athletes, and some challenges—like performance anxiety and identity loss—are unique to the sport environment. In this video, McMaster university researchers discuss strategies like mental health awareness, individualized development programs, and mental health screenings to improve athlete well-being.

Self-doubt and performance

Overestimating the abilities of other people can cause us to doubt ourselves. A study of competitive runners showed that athletes’ predictions of their performance can vary: overconfident athletes tended to have an inflated view of their ability, while underconfident runners overestimated their competitors. Finding a balance between confidence and doubt can help athletes optimize their…

Competition stressors

Unexpected competition stressors, such as an injury or unfavourable referee call, are common for athletes. In fact, some athletes report experiencing unexpected stressors not because they are unfamiliar with the stressor, but because they didn’t think it would happen to them. Asking athletes to list the ways that other athletes might experience the competition encourages…