The Impact of Mental Toughness and Postural Abnormalities on Dysfunctional Breathing in Athletes

Dysfunctional breathing is a significant cause of morbidity, adversely affecting an individual's quality of life. There is currently no data from paediatric centres on the impact of breathing retraining for dysfunctional breathing.Symptoms and quality of life were measured in 34 subjects referred sequentially for breathing retraining to the first dedicated paediatric dysfunctional breathing clinic in the UK. Data were obtained prior to the first intervention (time point 1), at discharge (time point 2) and by post 6 months later (time point 3).The mean (interquartile range) age of participants was 13.3 (9.1–16.3) years, with 52% female. Data were obtained at time points 2 and 3 in 23 and 13 subjects, respectively.Statistically significant improvements were observed in symptom scores, child quality of life and parental proxy quality of life between time points 1 and 2 (p<0.0001), while there was no significant difference in the data at time point 3 as compared with time point 2.This study suggests that physiotherapist-led breathing retraining offers significant benefit to young people with dysfunctional breathing which is maintained for at least 6 months after treatment is completed. Future studies will provide more information on the long-term effects of interventions for dysfunctional breathing.

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Negative self-appraisal mediates the relationship between mindfulness and confidence among adolescent female provincial hockey players in South Africa

South African Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.17159/4371 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Stephen Walker

Keyword(s):

Indirect Effect ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Mental Toughness ◽

Adolescent Female ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

Impact Performance ◽

Hockey Players ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Introduction: Mounting evidence suggests that mindfulness is positively related to athletic performance and athlete wellbeing. However, few attempts have been made to uncover the psychological processes by which mindfulness might impact performance. Objective: To determine whether negative self-appraisal mediates the relationship between mindfulness and the confidence component of mental toughness among provincial adolescent female hockey players. Methods: Provincial adolescent female hockey players (N=486) completed measures of mindfulness, mental toughness-related confidence and negative self-appraisal. Correlation coefficients were calculated between all variables included in the study. An ordinary least-squares regression analysis was performed to test the indirect effect of negative self-appraisal on the relationship between mindfulness and confidence. Results: Negative self-appraisal exhibited an indirect effect on the relationship between mindfulness and the confidence component of mental toughness (b = .06, SE = .0, CI95 = .04, .09). A subsequent Soble test confirmed that negative self-appraisal served as a statistically significant mediator (b = .06, SE = .01, Z = 5.76, p = .001) in the model. Furthermore 78.3% of the variance in the effect of mindfulness on the confidence component of mental toughness was accounted for by negative self-appraisal. Conclusion: The effect of mindfulness on the confidence component of mental toughness among adolescent athletes is mediated by negative self-appraisal. Based on the current findings, mindfulness seems to foster confidence by lessening the impact of rigid negative appraisals of one’s performance and worth as an athlete. Keywords: mindfulness, confidence, negative self-appraisal, mediation, adolescent female athlete

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A Narrative Systematic Review of the Mental Toughness Programme Offered by the National Youth Development Agency

Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies ◽

10.36941/ajis-2022-0025 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 280

Author(s):

Thulani Andrew Chauke ◽

Khashane Stephen Malatji

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Youth Development ◽

Development Programme ◽

Mental Toughness ◽

Research Approach ◽

Youth Workers ◽

Development Agency ◽

Youth Service ◽

Research Division ◽

The Impact

The rapid increase of poverty, crime, and unemployment in South Africa results in youth vulnerability. Youth not in employment, not in education, and not in training are most vulnerable to life setbacks, find it difficult dealing with criticism, rejection, and failure. Thus, youth workers responsible for the coordination of youth service programme need to design an autonomy-supportive programme that can prepare youth mentally before youth are placed in a youth development programme that seeks to enhance youth employability. The National Youth Development Agency in South Africa under the National Youth Service Programme has developed a mental toughness programme curriculum that NYS volunteers undergo before participating in youth skill development programme or community service programme for a minimum of five days. The aim of the study is to explore the impact of the Mental Toughness Programme on the positive development of youth through youth lived experience in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. This study made use of a qualitative research approach, non-probability sampling to sample eight youth who participated in the Mental Toughness Programme offered by the National Youth Development Agency. In this study, we recommend that the National Youth Development Agency knowledge and research division should conduct a longitudinal study that can evaluate the impact of the Mental Toughness Programme on positive youth development in South Africa. The National Youth Development Agency should revise the mental toughness programme curriculum in a way that the programme goes beyond five days and physical toughness should be cooperated in the curriculum to enhance social cohesion. Received: 27 July 2021 / Accepted: 6 October 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022

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Leadership, Mental Toughness, and Attachment Relationship in the World Beach Volleyball Context

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su131910748 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (19) ◽

pp. 10748

Author(s):

Nayara Malheiros Caruzzo ◽

João Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci ◽

Andressa Ribeiro Contreira ◽

Aryelle Malheiros Caruzzo ◽

Lenamar Fiorese

Keyword(s):

Path Analysis ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Leadership Style ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Toughness ◽

Secure Attachment ◽

Attachment Relationship ◽

Toughness Index ◽

The World ◽

The Impact

For a long time, competitive sport has focused only on aspects related to performance. However, studies in social psychology have indicated the importance of focusing on the human development of athletes, which can occur through training environments that promote psychological well-being. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the impact of the coach-athlete attachment style, mediated by the coach’s leadership style, on the mental toughness of athletes in the world beach volleyball context. Elite beach volleyball athletes (n = 65), participants of the World Tour 2018, were part of the study. The Coach-Athlete Attachment Scale (CAAS), Mental Toughness Index (MTI) and Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) were used as instruments. For data analyses we used polychoric correlation and a bias-corrected factor score path analysis. Path analysis showed that perceived secure attachment was positively associated with athletes’ mental toughness (0.24; 0.31; 0.25), but leadership styles did not mediate this relationship. For athletes with anxious attachment profiles, the perception of autocratic leadership style was associated with athletes’ mental toughness (1.01; p = 0.03), when their interaction style is focused on coaching-instruction. It concludes that the secure attachment relationship can bring increases in levels of athletic mental toughness, whereas for athletes with insecure attachment, the autocratic style was shown to be associated with the highest levels of mental toughness.

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Balancing Unbalanced Breathing: The Clinical Use of Capnographic Biofeedback

Biofeedback ◽

10.5298/1081-5937-41.4.02 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 183-187

Author(s):

Andrea Meckley

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Biofeedback Training ◽

Physiological Effects ◽

Clinical Use ◽

Breathing Patterns ◽

Panic Disorders ◽

Panic Symptoms ◽

Carbon Dioxide Levels ◽

Dysfunctional Breathing ◽

The Impact

Dysfunctional breathing, primarily in the form of overbreathing or hyperventilation, has been reported to play a major role for some individuals with anxiety and panic disorders. This is due to the decrease in carbon dioxide, a state called hypocapnia, which results from hyperventilation. The author reviews the physiological effects of hypocapnia and describes how carbon dioxide levels are measured with capnography. In addition, she introduces the use of capnography as a form of biofeedback and outlines ways to incorporate capnography into a clinical setting. Capnographic biofeedback enables individuals to become aware of the impact dysfunctional breathing has on their symptoms and assists them in learning more balanced, healthy breathing patterns. Use of this type of biofeedback training has been found to decrease panic symptoms and may be useful in improving physiological functioning in other medical and psychiatric disorders as well.

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