Mental Skill Usage of Athletes with Physical Disabilities

Authors : Ferhat ESATBEYOĞLU, Mark CAMPBELL

Pages : 27-37

Doi:10.15314/tsed.368137

View : 35 | Download : 8

Publication Date : 2018-04-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Mental skills training strategies should be beneficial for a variety of different skills, age groups and special populations. The purpose of the present research were twofold; initially to examine performance strategies in various sport situations used by volleyball, sitting volleyball and amputee soccer players, and comparing it among the sports; and secondly, whether the current performance level of athletes and the years participating in sport would show a significant difference in their application o f psychological skills during practice and competition. The refined version of Test of Performance Strategies insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(TOPS); was administrated to athletes insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(N=309); competing across a range of performance standards in volleyball, sitting volleyball and amputee soccer sports. Results revealed that, relative to competition strategies, participants scored highest on activation and lowest on relaxation insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4.10±0.52; 3.03±0=1.04, respectively); and in practice environment they scored highest on self-talk and lowest on relaxation insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(3.84±0=.91; 2.80±0.98, respectively);. Examination of the results showed moderately strong correlations among many of the strategies in both competition and practice environments insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P<0.01);. Additionally, comparison of mental skills and strategies usage according to sports, discovered significant sport specific variations both in competition and practice settings insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P<0.01);. Investigation of current performance level differences in psychological skills and strategies explored differences among international, national and club level athletes insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P<0.01);. Exploration of years participating in sport comparison has also discovered differences among groups insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P<0.01);. These findings provide a unique insight into the mental skill usage of athletes with physical disabilities and their application to practise and environment settings.
Keywords : ParaVolley, amputee soccer, disability sports, psychological strategies, performance

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