The purpose of this study was to determine if a significant difference exists between collegiate athletes' perceived and actual nutritional awareness. This study compared differences in athletes' perceived and actual nutritional awareness between sports focusing on appearance/body composition and those sports that do not, as well as, between genders. Participants (N = 92) for this study were obtained from a purposeful sample of 367 collegiate varsity athletes (n = 196 males, n = 171 females) at a Midwestern Division I University.The researcher observed the effects of the Nutritional Education Series treatment, between the pre- and post-test, and found significant differences (p < .05) across all groups of participants in athletes' perceived and actual nutritional awareness for protein, carbohydrates, iron, water during the day, water during sport, potassium, fiber, calcium, and fat. In addition, the researcher looked at the frequencies of the questions and found that the Nutritional Education Series treatment was significantly effective in altering the athletes' perceived versus actual nutritional awareness for protein, carbohydrates, iron, water during the day, water during sport, sodium, potassium, fiber, calcium, and fat.Specifically, both males and females showed a significant difference (p < .05) in perception and actual nutritional awareness for iron, but female athletes showed a greater difference than males. Significant differences (p < .05) in actual and perceived nutritional awareness for carbohydrate consumption were also observed for athletes participating in both sports focusing on appearance/body composition and those athletes that do not. Those participating in sports focusing on appearance/body composition showed the greatest difference in perception and actual nutritional awareness for carbohydrate consumption.The findings of this study would suggest that athletes demonstrate significant differences in their perceived and actual nutritional awareness, with significant differences observed between genders as well as between sports that do and do not focus on appearance/body composition. In addition, the results of this study would suggest that the systematic implementation of a nutritional educational program for athletes can modify athletes' nutritional and dietary awareness. Given the importance of nutrition in sport and physical activity, as well as the increasing competitiveness of athletics, it is important and necessary to learn the amount and accuracy of the nutritional education that athletes are receiving. Poor nutrition and an inaccurate perception of nutritional awareness can lead to a disruption in physical development and decrease an athlete's ability to play. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Previous research has explored the benefits of structured teambuilding interventions in the team sport environment (Voight & Callaghan, 2001). Structured teambuilding has a positive effect on cohesion, and the link between cohesiveness and successful athletic performance has been well documented (Carron, Colman, Wheeler, & Stevens, 2002), but little research has been carried out in terms of student-athlete enjoyment of their athletic experience based on the incorporation of structured teambuilding as part of the training environment. This study was designed to examine the effect of structured teambuilding on athlete satisfaction in NCAA Division III men's and women's soccer. One hundred and eleven student-athletes from six NCAA Division III soccer teams participated. Sixty-five student-athletes played for teams that used structured teambuilding (STB). Forty-six student-athletes played for teams that did not use structured teambuilding (NSTB). Students indicated average playing time per game and completed the Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire (ASQ) (Riemer & Chelladurai, 1998) at the conclusion of his or her regular season, but prior to any post-season competition. A 2 (use of team building) x 3 (playing status) ANOVA revealed significant main effects for use of team building, F(1, 105) = 9.34,p < .003, and playing status, F(2, 105) = 9.10, p = < .001. Post-hoc analysis revealed significant differences in 8 of the 15 subscales of the ASQ: individual performance, ability utilization, personal treatment, training and instruction, team social contribution, and personal dedication. STB studentathletes recorded significantly higher satisfaction when compared with their NSTB counterparts. Implications for the use of structured teambuilding as a tool for team development, drawing particular attention to the satisfaction of players, are discussed. / School of Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of perceived social support reported among student-athletes from their strength coach (SC) during the later reconditioning stage of rehabilitation. Data from (n = 82) participants were utilized in this study from 6 Division I Universities in the Midwest region of the United States. Each participant reported being injured for a minimum of 5 consecutive days or more. Participants were administered a survey packet consisting of; 1 demographic form, 2 consent forms, and 3 social support survey forms consisting of 6 types of social support measured on a 5 point Likert scale. The 6 types of social support assessed included; listening support, task appreciation, task challenge, emotional support, emotional challenge, and reality confirmation.AChi-Square Test was employed to assess the injured student-athlete's level of perceived social support received from their SC's during the later reconditioning stage of rehabilitation. Results showed that SC's have a significant psychosocial impact on a student-athletes overall psychological well-being during reconditioning. In conjunctionwith similar research, listening support, task appreciation, task challenge, and reality confirmation showed to be reported most frequent among student-athletes as needed or expected and most salient for their overall mental well-being during reconditioning.Among genders both male and female participants reported expecting and/or needing task challenge and reality confirmation from their SC's in addition, both male and female participants also reported task challenge and reality confirmation as the types of social support received from their SC's that was most important for their overall psychological well-being during the later reconditioning stage of rehabilitation. Furthermore, emotional challenge was reported the least overall among participants and among genders.This study provided sufficient evidence of the important psychosocial role that SC's can play during the later reconditioning stage of rehabilitation to injured student-athletes. Furthermore, the results of this study support other similar studies which also assessed the psychological impact of social support provided by the athletic trainer (AT) which was reported among student-athletes during rehabilitation. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

This thesis investigated the attitudes and the behaviors in the main sport environment of 53 intercollegiate athletes. Two instruments were developed, administered, and combined to give three measures of the "true play" characteristics of the subjects who were members of the men's golf, men's basketball, men's tennis, women's basketball, women's tennis and women's volleyball teams at the University of the Pacific. Results were determined by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences: Update 7-9. ANOVA and Scheffe's post hoc test revealed, at the .05 level, that female athletes scored higher in true play characteristics than did male athletes; that star athletes scored higher in true play characteristics than did regular and substitute athletes; and that the sport of volleyball scored higher in true play characteristics than did the sport of golf.

The purpose of the study was to create a questionnaire to identify underlying dimensions of athletes' attitudes toward seeking sport psychology consultation. A total of 1138 athletes (625 males, 513 females) representing 36 sports from four levels of participation were used to develop the Sport Psychology Attitudes Questionnaire (SPAQ). In Study I, exploratory factor analysis produced a two-factor solution that accounted for 37.1% of the overall variance: (a) belief in the credibility of sport psychology (14 items) and (b) preference for similarity with a sport psychology consultant (SPC) (7 items). Three items were omitted following item analysis, and nine items were eliminated after failing to load higher than the cut-off value of .40 on either of the factors. In Study II, confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-factor model, and multigroup comparison in Study III demonstrated that the model fit well for both male and female samples. As for validity, the SPAQ factors predictably (a) distinguished between athletes with and without previous experience with a SPC, (b) related to ratings of helpfulness/satisfaction related to a previous experience with a SPC, and (c) correlated with willingness to see a SPC for help in the future. Also, the SPAQ factors were related, as predicted, to (a) belief that practicing sport psychology skills will lead to desirable outcomes, (b) interpersonal openness, and (c) affective prejudice toward identified outgroups but were not related to level of self-concept as hypothesized. Contrary to predictions, Gender X Race X SPC experience MANOVAs revealed no gender or racial differences in attitudes toward sport psychology consultation. It was concluded that the SPAQ is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing a set of important attitudinal dimensions with regard to seeking sport psychology consultation and a useful instrument for research and practice. Theoretical and empirical support for the interpretation of the SPAQ factor structure, directions for future research, and practical implications are discussed.

"The purpose of this study is to produce a clear, concise plan for the effective use of student leaders in the high school physical education program. Sub-problems: This study includes the following four problems: 1. To point out the opportunities that may be used to develop student leaders in the high school physical education program. 2. To determine a means of selecting student leaders in the high school physical education program. 3. To indicate methods for the training of student leaders in the high school physical education program. 4. To determine a plan for the evaluation of student leaders in the high school physical education program"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "August, 1950." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science under Plan II." / Advisor: Kenneth D. Miller, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 26-27).

This study was designed to determine the degree of homophobia, expressed lesbian sexual preference behavior, and attitudes toward lesbianism among the female team sport college athlete and the female team sport recreational player. It was hypothesized that the female team sport college athlete would be less homophobic, would express greater lesbian sexual preference behavior, and would possess more positive attitudes toward lesbianism than the female team sport recreational player. There were 32 female team sport college athletes representing four Utah university/college campuses and one Oregon university/college campus; 37 female team sport recreational players representing four Utah recreational team and two Oregon recreational teams. Data were collected during the months of March through June, 1983. All subjects participating were volunteers. The subjects' ages ranged from 18-35, the mean age being 23.5 years. The instruments used in this study were: 1) Index of Attitudes Toward Lesbians (Guthrie, 1982), 2) Demographic/Social Variable Data (Guthrie, 1982). The research administered the instruments individually to each volunteer, therefore there was a 100% return. Chi-Square Analyses were used and the major results indicated that there were no significant differences in the degree of homophobia, lesbian sexual preference behavior, and positive attitudes toward lesbianism between the two groups. Post hoc analyses of data were performed to determine whether age was a factor in degree of homophobia, the expression of lesbian sexual preference behavior, and the expression of positive attitudes toward lesbianism. These analyses revealed a large percentage of those individuals in the age group 20-24 years expressed non-homophobia, lesbian sexual preference behavior, and positive attitudes towards lesbianism. Since this age group (20-24 years) encompasses a great proportion of the college age women who participate in athletics, it is hypothesized that exposure, involvement, and attitudes concerning lesbianism are noticeably prevalent in the college athletic environment.

Previous research examining high-risk sports participation has yielded discrepancies between the role assigned to risk and the perceptions of climbers regarding risk. Risk, as it applies to high-risk sport participation, has not been sufficiently defined in the literature. The current study sought to develop, by means of a grounded theory approach, a new, dynamic operational definition of risk as it applies to rock climbers, and to examine the role of risk management as a modifying factor in the perception of risk and its impact on motivation and participation. Nineteen subjects (twelve male and seven female) averaging 14.7 years of climbing experience were interviewed. A model for the processing of risk in high-risk sports participants is presented in which risk is perceived by the participant as operating on three levels: actual risk, assessed risk, and mental or perceived risk. The exposure to actual and assessed risk does not appear to be a goal of the climbers interviewed, but does provide meaning to decisions made by the participant, as well as defining limits and boundaries. Mental or perceived risk serves to provide a mental challenge to be overcome by the climber, and may provide a thrill or "adrenaline rush" that is sought out by some participants. The elimination of risk would change most participants' perceptions of climbing. Motivation would be negatively affected in most cases. The model presented describes a process of risk awareness, assessment, acceptance, mitigation, results, and consequences that is situation specific. The perception and assessment of risk varies from individual to individual, as well as across time. Individual climbers have a well defined risk threshold: a point at which the risk to which they are exposing themselves becomes too great and the decision will be made to reject risk. This threshold is stable and does not shift as the result of experience. It is suggested that future research which seeks to examine the role of risk in high-risk sports participation focus on the process by which risk is identified, evaluated, and accepted, as this will be of the most benefit to the participants.

This qualitative study aims to explore attitude formation within a small sample of Tertiary level student-athletes in relation to their antecedent experiences, individual knowledge about psychology and the social factors impacting on their attitude formation. The study is intended to allow for the development of themes related to the participants’ personal responses to the questions posed to them. The participants’ answers from the interviews will allow for an in-depth analysis and interpretation of the constituents influencing attitude formation towards sport psychology consultation. Primarily, the study aims to explore how attitudes towards clinical and sport psychology practitioners are constructed in this sample. Clinical psychology is used as a contrasting reference point to explore attitude formation in sport psychology. The participants’ beliefs, knowledge sources and attitude toward clinical psychology are examined to understand the fundamental constituents of their attitudes and to understand how this might be related to attitude formation towards sport psychology. It is intended that exploration of the participants’ knowledge sources (e.g. parents, peers, media and coaches) and additional influences on attitudes towards clinical psychology are used to provide insight into how they might shape attitude formation toward sport psychology. This is viewed as particularly important as sport psychology is an increasingly important tool in assisting the enhancement of sporting performance output. This qualitative study uses four elite student-athletes from the same sporting discipline and contextual background to allow for close linkages between the participants’ responses about attitude formation to be made. The study further aims to explore and understand how similarities and differences occur between the participants’ responses which will be completed through analysing and drawing parallels within themes relating to the literature or emerging separately. The Literature Review is intended to help guide the research through providing a reference source for contextualizing individual, public and socially generated beliefs and knowledge (literacy) about mental health / psychology, the constituents of attitude formation and the student-athlete’s context. These factors were identified in the literature as crucial components in attitude formation and also assisted in the development of initial themes, thus guiding the research. Unfortunately, there was limited literature pertaining to attitude formation in relation to sport psychology services and thus provide justification for using clinical psychology to explore attitude formation in sport psychology. This initial exploration of attitude formation in clinical psychology was used as a ‘template’ for contrasting attitude formation in the sample student-athletes as an indication of attitude formation in sport psychology. The Literature Review is viewed as an integral and active component of the study that is used as a body of reference guiding the exploration and interpretation of the emergent themes. This is done through the iterative reference to past research relating to attitude formation, health beliefs, and the numerous sources of information influencing attitude formation within clinical psychology and the student-athlete context. Most importantly, the Literature Review provides a significant base of information that guides the Research Question and the particular factors that have been noted as the most significant to the research. The Literature Review is intended to guide the Research Question and highlight the significant components that need to be taken into consideration in exploring attitude formation. This study, having taken the numerous individual, social, contextual and other factors into consideration, seeks to understand how such factors combine to shape attitudes and influence attitude formation. The collection of literature on social, knowledge and antecedent factors are significant in their role of shaping attitude formation and thus have been included within the Research Question. Furthermore, the Research Question and Literature Review had an impact on the Methodology and why Thematic Analysis was selected. Given the similarities in the participants’ sporting and contextual backgrounds (e.g., being in the same crew, university and social context), it was felt that the primary determinants of attitude formation, within antecedent experiences, knowledge and social influences, would emerge in related themes and thus provide greater insight into attitude formation within the student-athlete context. A limiting factor however, does lie in the small number of participants from a limited diversity of backgrounds, experiences or factors that could assist in allowing broader generalisations of the findings. However, this study aims to understand how the particular factors influence or shape attitudes towards sport and other psychology services and aims to understand the more specific or ‘fundamental’ components of attitude formation that are experienced within the student-athlete’s context and environment.