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What is Sport Psychology?
The American Psychological Association (Division 47) defines sport and exercise psychology as the scientific study of the psychological factors associated with participation and performance in sport, exercise, and other types of physical activity. Sport psychologist focus primarily on:
- Helping athletes use psychological principles and skills to achieve optimal mental health and to improve performance.
- Understanding how individuals' participation in sport, exercise, and physical activity affects their psychological development, health, and well-being.
Who can benefit from working with a Sport Psychologist? Is it just for elite athletes?
Although every U.S. Olympic athlete has access to a Sport Psychologist, and many professional and college athletes use them as well, sport psychology services can help most people who, regardless of age, race/ethnicity, gender or competitive level, are interested in improving their performance or deriving more enjoyment from sport and physical activity. Some of the common reasons individuals and teams may seek out sport psychology services include: motivation and goal setting, imagery, focus and attention, preperformance routines, positive thinking and confidence, competitive stress, communication, leadership, injury prevention/recovery, eating disorders, and substance use/abuse. Clearly, there is a wide range of reasons why athletes may work with a sport psychologist.
How can I learn more about Sport Psychology?
There are many excellent books, journals, websites, and professional organizations through which you can learn more about the field of sport and exercise psychology. We list some of them here.
Books
Anderson, M.B. (2000). Doing sport psychology. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Anshel, M.H. (1997). Sport psychology: From theory to practice (3rd Ed.). Allyn & Bacon, Inc.
Griffith, C. (1928). Psychology and athletics. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.
Griffith, C. (1928). Psychology of coaching. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.
Hays, K.F. (Ed.) (1998). Integrating exercise, sport, movement, and mind. New York: Haworth Press, Inc.
Jarvis, M. (1999). Sport psychology. Rutledge.
Le Unes, A. & Nation, J. (1996). Sport psychology. Chicago, IL: Nelson-Hall Publishers.
Murphy, S. (Ed.) (1995). Sport psychology interventions. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Ostrow, A.C. (Ed.) (1996). Directory of psychological tests in the sport and exercise sciences. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology, Inc.
Singer, R.N., Hausenblaus, H.A., & Janelle, C.M. (Eds.) (2001). Handbook of sport psychology (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Van Raalte, J.L. & Brewer, B.W. (Eds.) (2002). Exploring sport and exercise psychology (2nd edition). Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Weingberg, R. & Gould, D. (1999). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology (2nd Ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Williams, J.M. (Ed.) (2000). Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (4th Ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co.
Journals
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology
The Sport Psychologist
Journal of Exercise and Sport Psychology
International Journal of Sport Psychology
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
Journal of Sport Behavior
Websites
Sport Psychology Links
Professional Organizations
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) (http://www.aahperd.org/)
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (http://acsm.org/)
American Psychological Association (APA) - Division 47 - Sport and Exercise Psychology (http://www.psyc.unt.edu/apadiv47/)
Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) (http://www.aaasponline.org/index.php
Texas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (TAHPERD) (http://www.tahperd.org)
North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA) (http://www.naspspa.org/)
How can I become a Sport Psychologist?
One of the questions students interested in sport psychology most often ask is “How can I become a sport psychologist?” Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the field -- drawing from psychology and the sport/exercise sciences -- there are many different educational pathways students can take to get there. Thus, a central issue for students interested in sport and exercise psychology concerns determining exactly what they want to do in the field. Do they want to teach and conduct research at a college or university? Do they want to coach? Do they want to work with athletes on mental skills training or performance enhancement issues? Do they want to provide athletes with counseling or therapy? How you answer these and other questions will guide your choice of career and graduate training.
To assist students with this process, members of the American Psychological Association – Division 47 (Exercise & Sport Psychology) and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) developed a brochure on “Graduate Training & Career Possibilities in Exercise & Sport Psychology.” The primary purpose of the brochure is to inform students interested in pursuing training in sport/exercise psychology about the different career tracks that exist within the field and the educational pathways they would pursue to receive the necessary training.
If you are a student interested in sport and exercise psychology, we strongly encourage you to read this information before making any decisions concerning a career or graduate training. If you have additional questions about the field or would like to talk to one of our Performance Excellence Staff regarding training opportunities at the University of North Texas, please contact us via this website or call us at 940-369-SPORT.
For more information on sport and exercise psychology professional organizations, we encourage you to visit the APA-Division 47 and the AAASP websites.
Who is a "qualified" Sport Psychologist?
Currently, there are two "credentials" available to sport and exercise psychology practitioners. The first is the "Certified Consultant, AASP" offered through the
Association for Applied Sport Psychology. The second is membership in the United States Olympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry. Each credential demonstrates that the sport psychology professional has attained some minimum level of training and/or experience.
To find a qualified sport psychology consultant, the AASP website has a directory of licensed specialists in the field. In order to be included on this list, they must be certified as a sport psychology consultant through AASP. When you contact the sport psychology consultant, ask them specific questions concerning their interests as well as if they feel they might be able to help in addressing your concerns. Click here to go to the AASP Consultant Finder.
For further information on finding a qualified sport psychology consultant, click here.
Sport psychology fees can vary across the U.S. Like other service professionals, fees often range from $100.00 or more per session. Fees for long-term consultations with athletic or sport organizations generally are determined based on services provided and length of contract.
What is the process of working with a sport psychologist?
Each athlete/team/performer is unique, thus the process of working with a sport psychologist typically begins with an assessment session where the sport psychologist will determine your performance goals. Based on the information obtained from that session, the sport psychologist will recommend various options for help you decide what approach might work best to meet your achievement goals.
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