Question 1

Every athlete should be required to use a pre-competition or competition readying procedure.

Accepted Answer

While pre-competition routines can be beneficial for many athletes, individual needs and preferences vary greatly, making it inappropriate to require every athlete to follow a specific procedure.

Question 2

The demands of the sport need to be carefully analyzed and considered when devising a mental skills training program.

Accepted Answer

A mental skills training program must be tailored to the specific demands of the sport to effectively address the psychological aspects relevant to performance improvement and athlete well-being.

Question 3

What is one of the most critical aspects of successfully implementing a mental training program?
A) self-regulation
B) generalization
C) goal attainment
D) problem identification

Accepted Answer

Self-regulation is crucial for the success of a mental training program because it involves managing one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in a way that is conducive to achieving personal goals and improving performance.

Question 4

_____ is known as maintaining the behavior over time and across certain situations.
A) Dedicated learning
B) Long term maintenance
C) Generalization
D) Finding "the zone"

Accepted Answer

Generalization refers to the ability to apply learned skills or behaviors to different situations or contexts beyond those in which the learning originally occurred.

Question 5

What is one of the disadvantages of sport psychology consultants conducting mental training programs with teams?
A) their inability to relate to athletes
B) their inability to work with injured athletes
C) their lacking knowledge of the sport
D) lack of day to day availability

Accepted Answer

Sport psychology consultants often cannot be present with the team on a daily basis, which can limit their effectiveness in providing ongoing support and intervention.

Question 6

______ is a technique in which the athlete(s) determines the psychological skills needed for success and then assesses his or her strengths or weaknesses specific to those skills.
A) Performance profiling
B) Foundation skills training
C) Personal development skills
D) Problem identification

Accepted Answer

Performance profiling is a technique where athletes identify the psychological skills necessary for success in their sport and then evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses in those specific areas. This helps in setting targeted goals for psychological skill development.

Question 7

Who should be conducting psychological skills training programs?
A) coaches
B) teammates
C) parents
D) sport psychologist or certified mental performance consultant

Accepted Answer

Sport psychologists or certified mental performance consultants are specifically trained to conduct psychological skills training programs, ensuring that athletes receive professional, evidence-based support to enhance their mental performance. Coaches, teammates, and parents, while important in an athlete's support system, typically do not have the specialized training required for these programs.

Question 8

As competition nears, the sport psychology consultant should emphasize the one correction that will lead to the greatest improvement in performance.

Accepted Answer

Focusing on one correction might increase pressure and anxiety, detracting from overall performance. It's more effective to emphasize strengths, confidence, and a positive mindset as competition nears.

Question 9

When there is not adequate time or commitment for a comprehensive training program, consultants should avoid:
A) emphasize a few skills
B) superficially work on all skills needed
C) prioritize objectives
D) observing performers

Accepted Answer

When there is not adequate time or commitment for a comprehensive training program, consultants should avoid superficially working on all skills needed. This approach can lead to inadequate understanding and mastery of any skill, making the training less effective. Instead, focusing on a few key skills or prioritizing objectives can lead to better outcomes.

Question 10

When should psychological skills be practiced with physical skills?
A) whenever mental skills are strong
B) as soon as possible
C) after the first practice
D) after the first game

Accepted Answer

Psychological skills should be integrated with physical skills as early as possible in training to ensure that they develop in tandem, enhancing overall performance.

Question 11

Most sports psychology consultants believe the best time to implement a psychological skills training program for a team is:
A) when the team is on a losing streak or not performing up to potential
B) during the off season or preseason
C) during the preseason or right before the competitive season begins
D) just before a championship tournament or meet

Accepted Answer

Implementing a psychological skills training program during the off-season or preseason allows athletes to learn and integrate these skills without the immediate pressure of competition, making it the most effective time for such training.

Question 12

After reviewing 35 empirical studies, Fletcher and Brown (2017) found:
A) effects were greater when the coach was not involved
B) psychosocial interventions produced the largest, positive effects on performance
C) only male athletes benefit from mental skills training
D) the effect of psychosocial interventions last less than a month after the intervention

Accepted Answer

Fletcher and Brown's review of empirical studies indicated that psychosocial interventions, which include strategies to enhance psychological and social factors, produced the largest positive effects on performance. This suggests that interventions targeting mental skills, team dynamics, and athlete well-being can significantly improve athletic performance.

Question 13

At the beginning of each special mental training session, the coach or sport psychologist should outline for the athletes:
A) all of these elements should be explained
B) content
C) the purpose
D) approximate time of length of the session

Accepted Answer

Each of these elements (content, purpose, and approximate time length of the session) is important for setting clear expectations and goals for a special mental training session, hence all should be explained.

Question 14

An effective psychological intervention does not need to be systematic nor do a variety of mental skills need to be integrated and it can be implemented without considering the sport context and the individual performer or team.

Accepted Answer

Effective psychological interventions should be systematic, integrate a variety of mental skills, and be tailored to the specific sport context and the needs of the individual performer or team for maximum effectiveness.

Question 15

What factors outside the psychological realm that influence performance should sport psychology consultants first understand?
A) biomechanics
B) physiological conditioning
C) equipment
D) all of these factors should be understood by sport psychology consultants

Accepted Answer

Sport psychology consultants should have an understanding of all these factors—biomechanics, physiological conditioning, and equipment—as they can significantly influence an athlete's performance outside of psychological aspects.

Question 16

Which psychological skill is a foundation skill?
A) communication
B) self-awareness
C) optimal attention
D) interpersonal skills

Accepted Answer

Self-awareness is considered a foundational psychological skill because it is the ability to understand oneself, including one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This understanding is crucial for developing other psychological skills and for personal growth and development.

Question 17

Once the athlete has successfully used his/her new mental skill, he/she can usually end mental skills training until the next season.

Accepted Answer

Mental skills training is an ongoing process that requires continuous practice and refinement, much like physical skills, to maintain and improve performance.

Question 18

What is one weakness of using interviews, questionnaires, and behavioral observation to determine an athlete's psychological strengths and weaknesses?
A) athlete plays an aggressive role
B) athlete plays a passive role
C) athlete plays an active role
D) athlete plays no role

Accepted Answer

In interviews, questionnaires, and behavioral observations, the athlete typically plays a passive role, as they are responding to the researcher's or practitioner's prompts rather than initiating discussion or feedback. This can limit the depth and authenticity of the information gathered, as it relies heavily on the questions asked and the observer's interpretations.

Question 19

The ideal time for initially implementing psychological skills training for an individual athlete is:
A) when consistency starts to occur in physical skills
B) when first beginning to participate in sport
C) when the athlete indicates receptivity to it
D) once cognitive skills are sufficiently developed to benefit from mental training

Accepted Answer

Psychological skills training is most effective when introduced early in an athlete's career to build a strong mental foundation alongside physical skills.

Question 20

The basic psychological skills training methods include:
A) imagery
B) all of these answers are accurate
C) thought control
D) arousal regulation
E) goal setting

Accepted Answer

All the options listed (imagery, thought control, arousal regulation, and goal setting) are recognized methods of psychological skills training, making the statement that all these answers are accurate correct.

Quiz 17: Integrating and Implementing a Psychological Skills Training Program

Every athlete should be required to use a pre-competition or competition readying procedure.

The demands of the sport need to be carefully analyzed and considered when devising a mental skills training program.

What is one of the most critical aspects of successfully implementing a mental training program?

_____ is known as maintaining the behavior over time and across certain situations.

What is one of the disadvantages of sport psychology consultants conducting mental training programs with teams?

______ is a technique in which the athlete(s) determines the psychological skills needed for success and then assesses his or her strengths or weaknesses specific to those skills.

Who should be conducting psychological skills training programs?

As competition nears, the sport psychology consultant should emphasize the one correction that will lead to the greatest improvement in performance.

When there is not adequate time or commitment for a comprehensive training program, consultants should avoid:

When should psychological skills be practiced with physical skills?

Most sports psychology consultants believe the best time to implement a psychological skills training program for a team is:

After reviewing 35 empirical studies, Fletcher and Brown (2017) found:

At the beginning of each special mental training session, the coach or sport psychologist should outline for the athletes:

An effective psychological intervention does not need to be systematic nor do a variety of mental skills need to be integrated and it can be implemented without considering the sport context and the individual performer or team.

What factors outside the psychological realm that influence performance should sport psychology consultants first understand?

Which psychological skill is a foundation skill?

Once the athlete has successfully used his/her new mental skill, he/she can usually end mental skills training until the next season.

What is one weakness of using interviews, questionnaires, and behavioral observation to determine an athlete's psychological strengths and weaknesses?

The ideal time for initially implementing psychological skills training for an individual athlete is:

The basic psychological skills training methods include: