There is no abstract available for this thesis. / School of Physical Education

Thesis (PhD (Sport Sc)) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effects of a relaxation, self-talk, goal-setting, imagery, and concentration training package on the performance of six athletes in the 1500- meter event. Subjects were four female and two male high school middle distance athletes. The dependent measure was time taken to complete the 1500-meter nm in competition settings. A mental skills training package was developed, implemented and evaluated using a single subject, multiple baseline design. Performance scores were plotted for each 1500-meter nm and subjects' graphs were assessed for intervention-related change against mean performance change and established split-middle analysis criteria. Visual inspection of plotted values was supplemented by quantitive analysis using repeated measures analysis of variance (RANOV A). This study also included procedural reliability checks to ensure that the athletes did in filet utilize the mental skills they received training in. Visual analysis indicated the mental skills package to be effective in enhancing performance times (1500-meter) in the case of four of the athletes. Overall, repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant improvement in 1500- meter performance times for subjects across phases. However, a split-middle analysis of within subject variation indicated that a significant intervention effect was not observed in two of the six subjects. The social validity assessment by athletes and their two coaches provided further confirmation of the overall effectiveness of the intervention. Social validation checks indicated all participants to have perceived the intervention to be successful and all were satisfied with the delivery and content of the training package. The results support the usefulness of single-subject research designs for assessing the impact of mental training. The present study demonstrated that a mental skills training package combining relaxation, self-ta1k, goal setting, imagery, and concentration skills was effective in enhancing athletic performance. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die effek van "n sportsielkundige opleidingspakket, bestaande uit ontspanningsvaardighede, effektiewe selfspraak, doelwitstelling, beelding en konsentrasievaardighede op die prestasie van sportlui in die 1500-meter wedloop, is in die onderhawige navorsing ondersoek. Die proefpersone wat aan die navorsingprojek deelgeneem het, was vier vroulike en twee manlike hoërskool middelafstand-atlete. Die afhanklike veranderlike is gedefinieer as die tyd wat dit elke proefpersoon neem om die 1500-meter wedloop in kompetisie-situasies te voltooi. 'n Sportsielkundige opleidingspakket is ontwikkel, geïmplementeer en die effek daarvan op prestasietyd is geëvalueer deur gebruik te maak van "n enkelproefpersoon-, meervoudige basislynontwerp oor individue. Wedlooptyd in die 1500- meter is graftes ten opsigte van elke proefpersoon voorgestel en volgens kriteria vir visuele inspeksie en die "split-middle" -tegniek geanaliseer. Visuele analise van die data is deur middel van kwantitatiewe herhaalde waameming;analise van die variansie uitgebrei. Die ondersoek het ook kontrole vir prosedurelebetroubaarheid ingesluit om te verseker dat die betrokke sportsielkundige vaardighede waarin proefpersone opgelei is, inderdaad deur hul gebruik word Visuele analise van die navorsingdata het aangedui dat die sportsielkundige opleidingsprogram wel effektiefwas om presf.asietyd (l500-meter) by vier van die ses atlete te verbeter. Die herhaalde waamemingsanalise van die variansie het oor die algemeen beduidende verbetering in presf.asietyd in die 1500-meter vir proefpersone vanaf die basislyn:fase na die intervensiefase aangetoon. "n "Split-miádle" analise van intra-proefpersoon variasie het egter aangedui dat "n beduidende intervensie-effek nie by twee van die ses proefpersone waargeneem kon word nie. 'n Gunstige sosiale validering is van die betrokke proefpersone en hul afrigters ontvang wat verdere bevestiging bied vir die effektiwiteit van die intervensie oor die algemeen. Resultate met betrekking tot die sosiale validering het aangedui dat al die deelnemers by die navorsingprojek die intervensie as suksesvol beskou het en tevrede was met die toepassing en inhoud van die opleidingspakket. In die onderhawige ondersoek is aangedui dat "n sportsielkundige opleidingsprogram wat ontspanningsvaardighede, selfspraak, doelwitstelling, beelding en konsentrasievaardighede kombineer, weloor die algemeen effektief was om sportlui se prestasie te verbeter.

Thesis (MScSportSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to compile a sport psychological skills profile of track and field athletes and to determine whether a purposefully-developed psychological-skills training (PST) programme would affect this profile and athletic performance. The study was conducted in two phases. During the first phase 143 student athletes completed sport psychological skills questionnaires before competing in the 2011 University Sport South Africa (USSA) Athletics Championship. The athletes’ perceived importance of psychological skills, psychologically preparedness, and need for psychological skills training were investigated. The athletes’ best performances at the championship were recorded and their IAAF performance points calculated. The majority of the athletes perceived PST as important. However, in contrast, a large percentage was uncertain about their need for PST programmes and, alarmingly, most of the athletes under-utilized the services of sport psychologists. This could possibly indicate a resistance to PST. Overall, the results revealed poor sport psychological skill levels. Only the achievement motivation and goal directedness dimensions showed satisfactory results. Effect sizes were used to compare the sport psychological skill levels of more and less successful athletes. This revealed significant differences between the respective groups. The within-group comparisons showed that the more successful sprinters outscored the less successful sprinters in the subscales of stress control and achievement motivation. Achievement motivation was the only aspect that differed significantly between the more and less successful middle and long-distance athletes. Among the jumpers, confidence and stress control distinguished between the top and bottom athletes. The more successful throwers recorded higher imagery and achievement motivation scores than the less successful throwers. The results from the first phase were used to develop a PST programme aimed at improving the sport psychological skill levels and performance of student track and field athletes. In Phase Two, athletes from Stellenbosch University were divided into an experimental (n = 24) and control group (n = 18). Both groups underwent pre and post-testing of the same psychological skills questionnaires used in the first phase, whilst their athletic performances were recorded on both occasions. The experimental group participated in a PST programme consisting of seven sessions which covered the following topics: achievement motivation, goal-directedness, managing somatic anxiety, managing cognitive anxiety, self-confidence, concentration, and imagery. In addition to these sessions daily activities and assignments were completed in a workbook. The effectiveness of the PST programme in improving the athletes’ sport psychological skills levels is evident from the improvements observed in nine of the eleven subscales among the experimental group opposed to four skills among the control group. Inexplicably, the control group’s athletic performance improved significantly more than that of the experimental group. Further research into the role and effectiveness of PST in track and field is recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om ’n sportsielkundige vaardigheidsprofiel vir baan- en veldatlete saam te stel en om te bepaal tot watter mate ’n sportsielkundige vaardigheidsprogram (SVP) hierdie profiel en atletiekprestasie sal beïnvloed. Die navorsing het uit twee fases bestaan. Gedurende fase een het 143 studente-atlete verskeie sportsielkundige vraelyste voltooi voor deelname aan die 2011 Suid-Afrikaanse Studente-Atletiekkampioenskappe (USSA). Die atlete se persepsie oor die belangrikheid van sielkundige vaardighede, sielkundige voorbereiding en behoefte aan onderrig in sielkundige vaardighede is ondersoek. Die atlete se beste vertonings tydens die kampioenskappe is gemonitor en hul IAAF- prestasiepunte bereken. Die meerderheid van hierdie atlete het aangedui dat sportsielkundige vaardigheidsontwikkeling belangrik is, maar in teensteling hiermee het ’n groot persentasie aangedui dat hulle onseker is oor hul behoefte aan sportsielkundige vaardigheidsontwikkeling. Die bevinding dat die meerderheid van die atlete nie genoegsaam van sportsielkundige dienste gebruik maak nie, is kommerwekkend. Hierdie verskynsel kan op ’n weerstand teen sportsielkundige vaardigheids-ontwikkeling dui. In geheel het die sportsielkundige profiel van hierdie baan- en veldatlete swak vertoon, behalwe vir prestasiemotivering en doelgerigtheid wat bevredigende resultate opgelewer het. Effekgroottes is gebruik om die sportsielkundige vaardighede van minder en meer suksesvolle atlete met mekaar vergelyk. Dit het beduidende verskille tussen die groepe opgelewer. Die binnegroepvergelykings het getoon dat meer suksesvolle naellopers hoër tellings as minder suksesvolle naellopers in die volgende subskale behaal het: stresbeheer en prestasiemotivering. Prestasiemotivering was ook die enigste subskaal wat tussen meer en minder suksesvolle middel- en langafstandatlete kon onderskei. Selfvertroue en stresbeheer was twee aspekte wat tussen meer en minder suksesvolle springers gediskrimineer het. Prestasiemotivering en beelding was die enigste sportsielkundige dimensies wat tussen meer en minder suksesvolle gooiers kon onderskei. Die meer suksesvolle gooiers het beter vlakke met betrekking tot hierdie twee subskale getoon. Die resultate van die eerste fase is gebruik om ’n sportsielkundige intervensieprogram te ontwikkel waardeur sielkundige vaardighede en prestasie van tersiêre baan- en veldatlete verbeter kan word. In die tweede fase is atlete van die Stellenbosch Universiteit in ’n eksperimentele- (n = 24) en kontrolegroep (n = 18) verdeel. Beide groepe het dieselfde sportsielkundige vraelyste as in die eerste fase, voor en na afloop van die intervensieprogram, waaraan die eksperimentele groep meegedoen het, voltooi. Alle deelnemers se atletiekprestasies is voor en na afloop van die intervensieprogram genoteer. Die eksperimentele groep het aan die ontwikkelde sportsielkundige vaardigheidsprogram deelgeneem wat uit die volgende sewe sessies bestaan het: prestasiemotivering, doelgerigtheid, somatiese angsbeheer, kognitiewe angsbeheer, selfvertroue, konsentrasie en beelding. Hierdie sessies is deur daaglikse aktiwiteite aangevul en opdragte wat in ’n werkboek voltooi moes word. Die effektiwiteit van die program in die ontwikkeling van sielkundige vaardighede blyk duidelik uit die bevinding dat die eksperimentele groep betekenisvolle verbeteringe getoon het in nege uit elf sportsielkundige vaardighede teenoor die vier vaardighede wat by die kontrolegroep verbeter het. ’n Onverklaarbare bevinding was egter dat die kontrolegroep se atletiekprestasies betekenisvol meer verbeter het as die eksperimentele groep s’n. Verdere navorsing oor die rol en effektiwiteit van sportsielkundige vaardigheidsontwikkeling in atletiek word aanbeveel.