PSY FPX 6820 Assessment 1 Intervention Plan Scenario and Client Case

Student Name

Capella University

PSY FPX 6820 Performance Enhancement in Sports

Prof. Name:

Date

Formulating Intervention Plan

Client Goals

At the conclusion of the discussion, the client expresses uncertainty about what actions to take or how to achieve her goals. It appears that she is seeking a greater sense of control. The athlete is resistant to gaining more weight, having already lost 10 pounds since starting college. A comment from her coach indicating she was at a good weight has heightened her fear of gaining weight. In response, the athlete rationalized the weight loss, suggesting it could be due to eating less or exercising more than before. This introduces an unhealthy dietary balance, as over-exercising and under-eating may negatively impact her performance (Williams & Krane, 2021). The athlete is driven by a strong desire to excel and feels an obligation to lead.

Despite recognizing a decline in her performance over the past year, she continues to participate in a faster group of runners. After failing to complete a race with the faster group, she expressed a strong desire to no longer be in an anxious mindset. The athlete’s anxiety seems to be physically manifesting in her body, impairing her performance. The athlete attributes her performance decline to worry and nerves. She has noticed anxiety and worry affecting her ability to perform, while also claiming that she doesn’t require much sleep. She attempts to recover lost sleep from the week over the weekends and compensates for exhaustion by drinking more coffee. To manage stress, she has been going out more and consuming alcohol. Her desire to feel less tired highlights the need for a better social balance and reveals symptoms of athlete burnout, which can hinder performance (Williams & Krane, 2021).

Approaching Theories and Techniques

The mind and body cannot be separated; when athletes struggle mentally, their physical performance is impacted. For instance, the client appears to struggle with maintaining a social balance. Core performance enhancement techniques that could benefit her include managing performance anxiety, building confidence, improving focus and attentional awareness, practicing self-talk, and enhancing motivation. Athletes who master these elements are more likely to experience peak performance and flow states (Williams & Krane, 2021). A cognitive approach seems appropriate for this athlete, as she may be experiencing a double pull or bracing effect. When anxiety and physical tension affect the body, muscles respond with certain movements, which can negatively impact performance, a phenomenon known as bracing. The athlete reported feeling heaviness in her legs, and a potential solution could be differential relaxation.

This technique enables athletes to exert the correct amount of energy for the movement they wish to perform. Managing muscular tension can also help enhance focus and attention, both of which were areas of concern for the coach (Williams & Krane, 2021). The athlete is currently dealing with more errors than she has previously encountered, so enhancing confidence and mindset through imagery training may be a beneficial approach. Muscle relaxation and positive self-talk combined with imagery will serve as the first steps toward improvement. The introduction to imagery will be presented in an engaging way, explaining its concept through brief examples and detailing how the athlete can incorporate it into her running routine. There will be no assessment at this stage, as it will primarily serve as a foundational explanation. In the second step, we will help the athlete develop her imagery skills.

After introducing the concept in step one, she should be motivated to try it. This stage can be evaluated using a simple questionnaire to assess how well she has grasped the concept. The third step involves more sport-specific training, conducted for about 10 minutes a day. By this point, a relationship has been established, and the athlete is equipped with the necessary imagery skills to apply them during her performance. Imagery will be practiced in three forms: vividness, control, and self-awareness, all of which will be assessed throughout the season. We will start with vivid imagery to clear the desired image, then move to controlling the image for long-term manipulation (Williams & Krane, 2021). Finally, mastering the ability to visualize and control imagery will enable the athlete to recognize what she needs to imagine to enhance her performance.

Implementation

Imagery can be implemented and evaluated before, during, or after performance. We will assess it pre- or post-practice, as well as pre- or post-competition, allowing us to address stressors and use them to enhance performance. Practice sessions will be 5-10 minutes, while competition sessions will last 10-20 minutes. This enables the athlete to reflect on her performance while it is still fresh in her mind. For example, the athlete could imagine finishing a race without feeling tired, and then focus on remembering the emotions associated with completing the race. It is likely that these feelings were positive and contributed to her mental well-being. By shifting from negative to positive thoughts or images, performance is optimized, as the athlete becomes self-aware and better equipped to control her mindset. An effective method for tracking progress includes counting the number of negative thoughts the athlete has before practice, which provides motivation for change during the session (Williams & Krane, 2021). Attention and focus are developed concurrently, reducing anxiety and nerves.

The athlete should repeat the process until it becomes second nature, without requiring much effort. By learning to shift between images and thought patterns, the athlete can achieve a more relaxed mental state. Self-awareness also plays a crucial role in stopping negative thoughts. Without self-awareness, the athlete may struggle to recognize negative thoughts, which can lead to poor behaviors. Improving self-awareness will not only enhance athletic performance but will also benefit mental health. Thought stoppage, a method of halting negative thoughts, can improve both performance and mental health by reducing anxiety and negative self-talk (Williams & Krane, 2021). Practicing positive self-talk is another valuable tool for transforming negative thoughts. For example, instead of saying, “But I won’t be a leader if I do that,” the athlete can reframe it as, “I can be a leader if I give my best effort.” Ultimately, replacing negative thoughts with positive ones will serve as a focal point for control and confidence building.

Ethical Guidelines

Specifying

Anxiety, leadership, nutrition, and energy are the key areas of focus in this intervention plan. However, certain areas may necessitate a referral process. While a performance coach is trained in sports and exercise and can provide consultations related to performance, they are not licensed psychologists or counselors. In this case, the athlete frequently references anxiety, stating, “I am super anxious… I hate that feeling,” which indicates that this issue needs further exploration. The athlete also noted that she shares similarities with her mother, who has significant anxiety, a desire for perfectionism, and a history of panic attacks. The coach may need to differentiate between testing and counseling when feeling unqualified or lacking the necessary research and literature to address these concerns. Although the issue has persisted for about a year, the athlete’s awareness and openness about her alcohol use provide insight into how this anxiety may be impacting various aspects of her life—such as performance, academics, and relationships.

If the athlete begins showing signs of excessive alcohol use, involving a substance abuse provider or psychologist may be beneficial. Similarly, knowledge of nutrition and eating disorder symptoms is essential when making a referral. If the performance coach is unsure of how to identify warning signs of an eating disorder, consulting a nutritionist or physician may be advisable. In this specific case, with proper knowledge of identifying signs and symptoms, interventions such as imagery or positive self-talk could be effective before making any referrals. However, if these strategies prove ineffective, a referral to a professional may become necessary.

APA and AASP

According to the APA Division 47, an individual must be licensed in psychology, have experience applying psychological principles in sports settings, and possess extensive research knowledge in the field of sport psychology to call themselves a psychologist. Additionally, they should be familiar with exercise science (APA, 2022). According to Van Raalte and Andersen (2014), athletes may be referred to various professionals, such as coaches, exercise physiologists, sports medicine experts, physical therapists, athletic trainers, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and sport psychologists. A performance coach with a master’s degree may need additional education and training to qualify for a sport psychologist position. Psychologists undergo clinical or counseling psychology training and are equipped to provide therapy for a wide range of behavioral and emotional issues.

This requires a doctorate, specialization in sport psychology, and substantial coursework in psychology or counseling (APA, 2022). For student-athletes’ well-being, meeting a higher ethical standard is essential for certified members of the AASP (AASP, 2022). In this coach-athlete relationship, adhering to the ethical principles of the AASP is paramount. Several examples include: In step one, Principle B: Integrity emphasizes that research should be honest and fair when educating the client on imagery. In step two, Personal Problems and Conflicts (B) and Consultations and Referrals come into play if the need for a referral to a substance abuse specialist arises during practices and evaluations. Lastly, in step three, Delegation to and Supervision of Subordinates, along with Informed Consent to Practice, applies to the case, as this is where mental mindset and performance intersect. The coach will need approval from their supervisor before implementing the plan, ensuring that the coach is properly trained and positioned to work with the athlete (AASP, 2022).

References

American Psychological Association, Division 47: Exercise and Sport Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.apadivisions.org/division-47

Williams, J. M., & Krane, V. (2021). Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.