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The current study investigated whether combining a ten-week imagery training and video modeling intervention would improve the consistency and form of tennis serves, and to determine if differences in intervention effectiveness were based on skill level of the players. Sixty-one high school tennis players (Mage = 15.44, SD = .98) were separated into four groups; a control group and an experimental group which received the mental training program. Univariate analyses of covariance controlling for possible pre-test differences, gender, and years of tennis experience and a chi-squared analysis for responders to treatment showed no significant differences for the experimental group. Thus, the ten-week imagery training and video modeling intervention used in this study appeared to not influence tennis service form and consistency. There is a need for longitudinal studies of mental training techniques to determine whether these practices are effective for athletes of different sports and competitive levels.

My journey from an over-practice injury to the final exam concert on a master level. I start with my background and with investigating the possible reasons for my injuries, then continue with providing solutions to my problems. The solutions consist of technical advice, knowledge of ergonomy, information on the Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais and the psychological factors. The goal of this thesis was to manage to perform the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and get away from that experinece without renewing my injury.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examined the effect of a mental training program on the performance of eight-tonine- year-old male gymnasts in the acquisition and execution of a newly learned gymnastic element, namely the headspring. Twenty-five gymnasts, all with one-year experience in gymnastics, were tested on the four prerequisite elements for the headspring. The selected group was randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group respectively. The experimental group received six weekly mental training interventions, consisting of an adapted progressive relaxation approach with deepening techniques and imagery. In addition to the mental training interventions the experimental group took part in the weekly physical training program. The control group only received the physical training. The gymnasts were evaluated on a daily basis to monitor their progress. The headspring was evaluated by means of a post-intervention testing. A pre- and post-intervention interview was also conducted with all the gymnasts to determine qualitatively whether the mental training influenced the gymnasts' physical symptoms, cognitions and emotions during a competition situation. Interjudge reliability coefficients were also calculated for the pre- and posttests in order to establish to what degree the judges evaluated the elements uniformly. The results of the daily-progression testing indicated that the control group performed significantly better than the experimental group on one occasion, namely the session before the first mental training session was introduced to the experimental group. The experimental group, however, performed significantly better than the control group on two occasions just before and just after the third mental training session. The results of the post-intervention testing indicated that the experimental group did not perform significantly better than the control group during the execution of the headspring. The experimental group did, however, show a clear non-significant tendency to perform better than the control group during the daily-progression testing and the post-intervention testing. The pre- and post-intervention interviews indicated that the control group, in comparison with the experimental group, reported the same number of positive physical symptoms, cognitions and emotions before and after the experiment. The experimental group reported fewer positive physical symptoms during a competition situation, but more thoughts about the correct execution of the headspring and more positive emotions during competitions were reported after the experiment. The inter-judge reliability coefficients indicated that the judges evaluated the elements in the pretest more uniformly. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met hierdie studie is gepoog om vas te stel watter effek 'n sielkundige inoefeningsprogram met die aanleer en uitvoering van 'n nuutaangeleerde gimnastiekelement, naamlik die kopwip, op agt- tot nege-jarige seunsgimnaste gehad het. Vyf en twingtig gimnaste, wat almal een jaar gimnastiekondervinding het, is getoets met betrekking tot die vier voorvereistes van die kopwip. Die geselekteerde groep is ewekansig ingedeel in 'n eksperimentele en kontrolegroep onderskeidelik. Die eksperimentele groep het ses weeklike sielkundige inoefeningsessies gehad, bestaande uit 'n gewysigde progressiewe ontspanningsbenadering met verdiepingstegnieke en visualisering. Benewens die sielkundige inoefeningsprogram is hulle weekliks aan die fisiese afrigtingsprogram blootgestel. Die kontrolegroep het slegs die fisiese afrigtingsprogram ontvang. Al die subjekte is op 'n daaglikse basis geëvalueer om hul stapsgewyse vordering te monitor. Die kopwip as geheel is deur middel van 'n natoets geëvalueer. 'n Voor- en na-onderhoud is met elke gimnas gevoer om kwalitatief vas te stelof die eksperiment 'n verandering m die gimnaste se rapportering van fisiese simptome, kognisies en emosies tydens 'n kompetisie teweeggebring het. lnterbeoordelaarbetroubaarheidskoeffisiënte is bereken vir beide die voor- en natoets om te bepaal tot watter mate die drie beoordelaars se punte ooreengestem het. Die resultate van die daaglikse evaluering toon dat die kontrolegroep tydens een toetsgeleentheid, naamlik die sessie voor die eerste sielkundige inoefeningsessie op die eksperimentele groep toegepas is, beduidend beter as die eksperimentele groep gevaar het. Die eksprimentele groep het egter by twee toetsgeleenthede, naamlik dié net voor en net na die derde sielkundige inoefeningsessie beduidend beter as die kontrolegroep gevaar. Die resultate van die natoets toon dat die eksperimentele groep nie beduidend beter as die kontrolegroep tydens die uitvoering van die kopwip as geheel gevaar het nie. Die eksperimentele groep het 'n nie-beduidende tendens getoon om beter te presteer tydens die daaglikse evaluering en tydens die natoets. Die voor- en na-onderhoude het getoon dat die kontrolegroep, in vergelyking met die eksperimentele groep, dieselfde hoeveelheid positiewe fisiese simptome, kognisies en emosies na die eksperiment gerapporteer het. Die eksperimentele groep het minder positiewe, fisiese simptome na afloop van die eksperiment gerapporteer, maar verbreding van hul kognisies rakende die korrekte uitvoering van die kopwip en die toon van meer positiewe emosies tydens kompetisies is na afloop van die ondersoek gerapporteer. Die interbeoordelaar-betroubaarheidskoeffisiënte het getoon dat die beoordelaars meer eenvormig tydens die voortoets beoordeel het.

<p>The aim was to examine whether the Swedish Armed Forces can use mental training to develop the soldiers and officers in the military profession, a secondary objective was to examine how mental training methods can be integrated into the Swedish Armed Forces' daily activities. The study was carried out in the form of a literature review. The search of literature was done in scientific and military data bases, and retrieval from the Department of Leadership and Management (ILM) in Karlstad. The literature and articles were reviewed which resulted in only 19 out of 64 collected works were judged to have acceptable scientific quality and be of relevance for the topic. The results of the survey show that the use of mental training techniques goal setting, imagery, self-talk and relaxation strategies can produce positive effects for individual development of soldiers and officers. First, by allowing them to improve performance and stress management ability, secondly by creating motivation. An integration of the mental training techniques requires a training of officers carried out by experts and an individual motivation in soldiers.</p>

The aim was to examine whether the Swedish Armed Forces can use mental training to develop the soldiers and officers in the military profession, a secondary objective was to examine how mental training methods can be integrated into the Swedish Armed Forces' daily activities. The study was carried out in the form of a literature review. The search of literature was done in scientific and military data bases, and retrieval from the Department of Leadership and Management (ILM) in Karlstad. The literature and articles were reviewed which resulted in only 19 out of 64 collected works were judged to have acceptable scientific quality and be of relevance for the topic. The results of the survey show that the use of mental training techniques goal setting, imagery, self-talk and relaxation strategies can produce positive effects for individual development of soldiers and officers. First, by allowing them to improve performance and stress management ability, secondly by creating motivation. An integration of the mental training techniques requires a training of officers carried out by experts and an individual motivation in soldiers.

Abstract Integrated mental training is a method that entails a systematic and long-term training of mental processes (thoughts, images, emotions) that aims to enhance performance as well as gratify feelings and improve thought processes. This training develops an alternative system of control by using substitute state of consciousness and self-hypnosis. The method is concerned with both mindfulness and performance approaches, which is crucial in order to feel and function better. The intent of this study is to highlight the experience of the different steps of integrated mental training to gain an understanding of how, where, and when changes occur. To achieve the objective of this study, a qualitative empirical method was used. As far as analysis is concerned, phenomenology analytic approach was adopted. The study participants were six long-term sick listed women. During the eight meetings they were introduced to the process and in between the meetings they performed the training using self-instructor CD. Their experience of the training was recorded through the diary entries upon which the study’s analysis was based. The finding shows that it takes different time-spans to reach the different stages and that large positive experience of change occur during the first steps. This suggests that a mindfulness approach is instrumental in feelings enhancement. Further, the first part of the mental conceptions gives strengthened self-esteem and increased faith in oneself. There is no illuminating finding with regard to self-creation of mental representations, which may be due to the short training time for this group.

This study examined four Canadian Olympic athletes’ attitudes towards mental training and their implementation strategies before, during, and after the 2012 London Olympics. This study interviewed four athletes who competed at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Athletes were represented from rowing, swimming and track and field. Their interviews were written-up as in-depth narratives to provide a rich, insight into these athletes’ perspectives and unique experiences. The narratives were analyzed individually and were then compared and contrasted across all four. Regarding the current attitudes of the athletes, all athletes interviewed expressed a positive attitude towards mental training. However, they differed in their underlying beliefs as to whether this was a fundamental or supplementary component to their preparation and subsequent performance. Themes that emerged as influencing the development of these attitudes include prior experience and maturity of the athlete. In regards to their implementation methods, the athletes all used mental training but their approach ranged from implementing holistically to a narrower approach. Future research should investigate the different factors that may impact an athletes’ attitude towards mental training such as team versus individual sport, gender, and years of experience. Additionally, exploring what a holistic mental training plan would look like compared to a supplementary approach and whether they result in differences in athlete performance. / Graduate / 0515

Compassion is an affective state and comprises recognition of the suffering of others and a motivation to help them. Studies have indicated that compassion is trainable and compassion training based on contemplative practice has beneficial effects on well-being. The primary aim of this thesis was to conduct a systematic review on the functional and structural neural effects of compassion training in healthy adults. The secondary aim was to review the psychological or behavioral changes after compassion training in the reviewed articles. Eight articles employing compassion meditation or loving-kindness meditation, and applying the same definition of compassion, were reviewed. The neural effects of compassion training were diverse, but changes in the activity of the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC), the amygdala, and reward-related areas were the most consistent outcomes. Also, compassion training resulted in increased positive affect and feelings of compassion, decreased depression scores, and more charitable donations (i.e., prosociality). The findings of this systematic review suggest that compassion training engages a broader neural network than previous studies have indicated and is a strategy that may lead to improved well-being andprosocial behavior.

Detta arbetes syfte är att fördjupa kunskapen om den mentala förberedelsens betydelse inför musikaliska framträdanden bland konstmusikaliska blåsmusiker. Genom att undersöka hur professionella musiker agerar mentalt före, under och efter konserter är avsikten att isolera framgångsrika tankemönster och mentala strategier. I sökandet efter tidigare forskning och böcker fann jag att inte mycket forskning bedrivits på området. Jag har läst och sammanfattat ett antal böcker om vad nervositet beror på, samt olika mentala strategier för att hantera problematiken. Därefter har jag med kvalitativ intervju som metod intervjuat fyra professionella blåsmusiker i den konstmusikaliska genren.Ingen av de intervjuade ansåg sig använda några speciella mentala knep. Musikerna har i huvudsak lärt sig själva hur de ska förbereda sig på det mentala planet. Dock fann jag tydliga likheter mellan de tankar informanterna begagnade sig av inför musikaliska framträdanden, och de mentala strategier som presenteras i litteraturen på området.Studien är inte tillräckligt omfattande för att dra några generella slutsatser på området. Den visar dock på att mental förberedelse inte måste vara något främmande eller ”hokus-pokus” utan handlar om att tänka tankar som främjar individens musikaliska förhållningssätt. Den mentala förberedelsen är dessutom så välintegrerad i musikerns dagliga övande att det ibland kan vara svårt att skilja dem åt. / This work aims to increase knowledge of the mental preparation before important musical performances amongst art musical wind musicians. By examining how professional musicians operate mentally before, during and after the concerts, the intention is to isolate successful thought patterns and mental strategies. In the search for previous research and books, I discovered that little research has been conducted in this particular area. I have read and summarized a number of books that discuss the nature of being nervous, and various strategies that can be applied to deal with nervousness.Proceeding, while using the qualitative interview as a method, I interviewed four professional wind musicians in the art musical genre.None of those interviewed claimed to use any special mental tricks. The musicians have essentially taught themselves how to prepare on a mental level. However, I found a clear parallel between the thoughts respondents took advantage of before the musical performances, and the psychological strategies presented in the literature in the field.3The study is not extensive enough to draw any general conclusions in the field, yet indicates that mental preparation is not to be viewed as something alien, but rather a strategy in promoting the individual's musical approach. The mental preparation is so well integrated into the musician's daily practicing that it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between them.