Handbook of Disability Sport and Exercise Psychology

Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. Martin

This book seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the research done in sport and exercise psychology with individuals with disabilities. Research from diverse academic disciplines such as psychology, medicine, health, recreation, kinesiology, sociology and disability studies is reviewed. In the first part of the book, covering 5 chapters, philosophy of science issues, models of disability, how to conduct quality research, research controversies, and living with a disability are explored. In a second section on sport psychology, covering 19 chapters, diverse topics such as self-efficacy, athletic and superchip identities, motivation, self-esteem, peer relationships, sport retirement, coaching, and performance enhancement are covered. In the last part on exercise psychology, covering 16 chapters, a range of topic such as obesity and fitness, exercise barriers, body image, quality of life, physical education, wounded warriors, intellectual impairments, and gender issues are discussed. All chapters conclude with extensive directions for new avenues of research and exploration.

Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. Martin

There are a number of research-related issues unique to the world of disability that most sport and exercise psychology researchers may be unfamiliar with. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss four of those issues. First is the use of language and, in particular, the pros and cons of using the term disabled person in contrast to person with a disability. Many disability activists argue for the former whereas the American Psychological Association advocates for the later. Terms such as disability sport, adapted sport, and parasport are also discussed and how researchers have interpreted and supported some terms over others. The chapter also briefly traces the history of disability sport and exercise psychology research and the academic disciplines that have built the knowledge base. In addition, the arguments of some authors that able-bodied researchers should not conduct research with individuals with disabilities are examined and refuted. Finally, the thinking behind why some disability activists are critical of a prominent disability sport competition, the Paralympics, is explained.


Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. Martin

Athletes with disabilities can perform more consistently and come closer to their potential if they maximize their mental skills as well as their physical skills. The purpose of this chapter is to present of humanistic developmental model of psychological skills training and an examination of disability sport psychology research on psychological skills. A humanistic developmental model prioritizes both athlete performance and well-being as they are viewed as complementary goals that exert a bidirectional influence on each other. In this model foundational factors, psychological skills and qualities, psychological methods, and facilitative and debilitative factors are seen as relatively distinct categories. Researchers have supported the importance of foundational factors, as reported in other chapters. Researchers have also supported the value of imagery and self-talk as methods to enhance confidence, motivation, and psychological skills, which in turn are positively related to performance. A host of facilitative and debilitative factors in disability sport also influence training quality and performance.


Author(s):  
Stiliani "Ani" Chroni ◽  
Frank Abrahamsen

The evolution in sport, exercise, and performance psychology in Europe goes back to the 1800s and spread from the east (Germany and Russia) to the west of the continent (France). Modern European sport psychology theorizing started with Wilhelm Wundt, who studied reaction times and mental processes in 1879, and Philippe Tissié, who wrote about psychological changes during cycling in 1894. However, Pierre de Coubertin was the one to put forward the first definition and promotion of sport psychology as a field of science. From there on, and despite obstacles and delays due to two world wars in Europe, sport psychology accelerated and caught up with North America. Looking back to the history of our disciplines, while sport, exercise, and performance psychology evolved and developed as distinct disciplines in Europe, sport and exercise psychology research appear to be stronger than performance psychology. The research advancements in sport and exercise psychology led to the establishment of the European sport psychology organization (FEPSAC) in the 1960s, as researchers needed an umbrella establishment that would accept the cultural and linguistic borders within the continent. From there on, education programs developed throughout Europe, and a cross-continent program of study with the collaboration of 12 academic institutions and the support of the European Commission was launched in the late 1990s. Applied sport psychology was practiced in the Soviet Union aiming to enhance the performance of their teams in the 1952 Olympics. Unfortunately, in many countries across Europe, research and practice are not comprehensively integrated to enhance sports and sportspersons, and while applied practice has room to grow, it also has challenges to tackle.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e039953
Author(s):  
Beth Aitchison ◽  
Andrew Soundy ◽  
Paul Martin ◽  
Alison Rushton ◽  
Nicola R Heneghan

IntroductionOver the past decade, there has been an increase in awareness of and investment into disability sport as a result of the ‘Paralympic Movement’. The provision of personal and professional support to elite athletes is important for the well-being and success of the athlete, with various studies advocating a holistic approach to performance enhancement. However, little is known about social support experiences in elite para-swimming. Swimming is a popular Paralympic sport and the British para swimmers have been very successful in recent years, most recently winning 47 medals at Rio 2016. This study will be the first to explore the lived experiences of British Paralympic swimmers with respect to the personal and professional support available, perceived use of the support network and the influence it has on well-being and performance.Methods and analysisA hermeneutic phenomenological study will be undertaken using a subtle-realist paradigmatic view. A purposive sample of British Paralympic swimmers will be recruited to enable exploration of social support experiences. In-depth semistructured interviews will explore participants’ experiences of being an elite para-athlete, their support network, the social support available and how they perceive it relates to their well-being and performance. Strategies including reflexivity and member checking will be used to ensure trustworthiness. Data will be analysed following the Framework Method; a seven-stage process used for qualitative data analysis.Ethics and disseminationThis study has ethical approval (ERN_20–0344) granted by the University of Birmingham in April 2020. The findings of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated to key stakeholders in elite para-sport to inform support services and improve athlete well-being and performance.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aïna Chalabaev ◽  
Philippe Sarrazin ◽  
Paul Fontayne ◽  
Julie Boiché ◽  
Corentin Clément-Guillotin

1998 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 650-650
Author(s):  
David Lavallee ◽  
Mark Nesti

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