SIM: The Surgery Imagery Mindset and Preparing for Surgery

Discussed under various terms such as mental skills, mental rehearsal, cognitive training, and non-technical skills, psychological performance skills are gaining greater acceptance for their contributions to excellence in surgical performance. Mental imagery, specifically performance-enhancing mental imagery for surgeons, has received the greatest attention in the surgical literature. As part of the surgeon’s imagery mindset (SIM), this form of mental rehearsal contributes to optimal surgical performance for both developing and practicing surgeons. We discuss the nature of SIM and describe 5 basic guidelines for maximizing the application of performance-enhancing mental imagery in surgical contexts.

The Associations of Serum Osteocalcin and Cortisol Levels With the Psychological Performance in Primary Hyperparathyroidism Patients

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate factors responsible for the psychological performance in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) patients.MethodsA group of 38 PHPT patients receiving questionnaires, including Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), was evaluated. The relationships between scores of questionnaires and clinical biomarkers were examined. Collinearity and linear regression model were applied to examine variables determining the scores of the questionnaire. In 192 PHPT patients, bivariate and partial correlation were used to analyze the relationships between serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, osteocalcin (OCN), and cortisol.ResultsAmong 38 patients receiving questionnaire tests, 50% (19/38) of the patients developed state anxiety, 60.5% (23/38) of the patients had the trait of developing anxiety. In addition, 18.4% (7/38) of the patients developed mild to severe depression. Serum cortisol at 8:00 was negatively and significantly correlated with social function (r = -0.389, p = 0.041) after controlling for age, sex, disease duration, serum PTH, calcium, phosphorus, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration. OCN was significantly and negatively correlated with score of STAI-S (r = -0.426, p = 0.027). In the linear regression model for BDI score, variables with statistical significance were serum OCN (β = -0.422, p = 0.019) and cortisol at 0:00 (β = 0.371, p = 0.037). In 192 PHPT patients, the serum concentration of OCN (r = 0.373, p = 0.000) was positively correlated with PTH level. After controlling for age, sex, disease duration, serum 25(OH)D, phosphorus, and calcium concentration, the positive correlation between OCN and PTH was still statistically significant (r = 0.323, p = 0.000). The serum concentration of cortisol at 0:00 was significantly and positively correlated with serum calcium (r = 0.246, p = 0.001) in bivariate correlation analysis. After controlling for age, sex, disease duration, serum PTH, 25(OH)D, and phosphorus concentration, serum cortisol at 0:00 was still positively and significantly correlated with serum calcium (r = 0.245, p = 0.001).ConclusionSerum levels of OCN and cortisol, rather than PTH and calcium, are associated with the development of anxiety and depression symptoms in PHPT patients.

Determining Factors of Psychological Performance and Differences among Age Categories in Youth Football Players

Within the determining factors of psychological performance, mental toughness is considered a multidimensional factor, comprising cognitive, affective, and behavioural components together with self-confidence, which is related to success in sports performance as well as psychological health and well-being. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between different factors composing mental toughness and age categories in young football players, in order to determine the presence of specific psychological skills in their formative progression. A total of 118 male players (16.91 ± 2.42 years old) completed the Spanish version by Cernuda (1988) of the original Psychological Performance Inventory (PPI) by Loher (1982, 1986). The results indicated significant differences in four variables (negative energy control, attention control, visual and image control, motivational level) on three different age categories, where the U19 category showed the best results for all the variables, decreasing afterwards in the semi-professional category. Significant correlations were established between mental toughness variables and age categories, where the age category variable was significantly correlated in a positive way with attention control, visual and image control, and motivational level. In the same line, the variable self-confidence correlated positively with negative energy control, attention control, motivational level, attention control, and positive energy. The assessment of psychological variables such as mental toughness, taking into account the formative stage, may be helpful for both coaches and players when selecting adequate mental skill training for improving competitive performance and sporting success, as well as for positive and healthy psychological development and well-being.

Razlike v skupinski dinamiki in psihični pripravi na nastop med glasbeniki in športniki v manjših skupinah / Differences in group dynamics and psychological performance preparation between musicians and athletes in small groups

Uspešen nastop je rezultat premagovanja številnih izzivov, tako fizičnih kot psihičnih, s katerimi se glasbene in športne skupine srečujejo na svoji poti. Na prvi pogled se mogoče zdi, da teme z glasbenega področja nimajo veliko skupnega s temami s športnega področja, vendar pa obstaja kar veliko podobnosti. Namen naše raziskave je bil ugotoviti, kakšne so podobnosti priprave in izvedbe glasbenega nastopa v manjših skupinah v primerjavi s pripravo in izvedbo tekmovanja v ekipnih športih. V raziskavi je sodelovalo 51 študentov Akademije za glasbo in 54 študentov Fakultete za šport, ki so člani manjših skupin (do 12 članov). Rezultati so pokazali, da med skupino glasbenikov in skupino športnikov obstajajo podobnosti pri dejavnikih, ki najpomembneje vplivajo na delovanje manjše skupine, podobnosti pri dejavnikih, ki vplivajo na uspešnost izvedbe nastopa, ter podobnosti pri psihični pripravi na glasbeno oz. športno izvedbo v manjših skupinah. Nekatere razlike so se pokazale v zaznavanju prednosti in slabosti skupinske izvedbe glede na individualno izvedbo. Prav tako so bile potrjene razlike v raznolikosti vrst izvedbe pri glasbenikih kot pri športnikih v manjših skupinah.

Mindfulness in Male Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Study

The present study aims to determine whether mindfulness shows a significant difference based on the male soccer players' amateur/ professional status, position, playing experience, history of receiving mentorship, psychological performance counselling or therapy from a sports psychologist, and status of performing mental training. The study was carried out with 233 adult male soccer players and the Mindfulness Inventory for Sport and Personal Information Form was applied to the participants. As a result of the study, it was found that professional soccer players had higher mindfulness levels compared to amateur soccer players. It was observed that mindfulness levels differed in favor of soccer players who received mentorship or psychological performance counselling, performed mental training and had more experience in sports. It was also observed that attackers had higher mindfulness levels compared to midfielders.

Saprahan as Indigineous Value to Maintain Self-Identity of Adolescents in Pontianak Region

This discussion based on the reality of adolescents behavior which generally contradicts the prevailing values in the norms and practices of the community in Pontianak region, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Most adolescents did not consider their self-identity and insufficient psychological performance. Pontianak adolescents, indicating their existence and independent from their obligations. In the humanistic existential view emphasizes self-awareness, meaning and purpose of life and responsible freedom. We tried to internalizes the indigenous values of Saprahan including the values of openness (Seanak Sekemanakan), the value of politeness, care (Senaseb Sepenanggungan), the value of togetherness (Seadat Sepusaka, Sepucuk Setali Darah) as a counseling approach based on the indigenous culture of the Pontianak-Malay community to increase awareness of self-identity of adolescents. Cultural values in counseling approach contains self-awareness of students to understand and find the meaning of life according to the moral messages in the indigenous Saprahan values, because these values are a representation of the moral and cultured youth identity.

Evaluation of psychological performance strategies of volleyball players

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the performance strategies of volleyball players and also comparison of usage levels of strategies in training and competitions. Method: Total 134 voluntary amateur volleyball players between the ages of 15-24 participated in the study. Performance strategies of volleyball players were determined with Test of Performance Strategies that designed by Thomas et al., (1999). To examine the performance strategies of volleyball players and also comparison of usage levels of strategies in training and competitions Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme was employed. To define possible differences between variables Independent samples t test was used. Findings: Practice scale’s highly used strategy was self-talk and the lowest usage percentage was attention control. Meanwhile, competition scale results indicated that the highest used strategy was activation and lowest used strategy was relaxation. While comparison of differences between practice and competition scales strategies, it was found that except of goal setting and imagery all other strategies showed significant differences. Conclusions: Psychological performance strategies’ averages of volleyball players were ensured and it is exhibited that to which strategies should be thought and focused. ​Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file.​​ Özet Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, voleybolcuların kullandıkları psikolojik performans stratejilerinin incelenmesi ve antrenmanlarda ve müsabakalarda kullanılan stratejilerin kullanım düzeylerinin karşılaştırılmasıdır. Metod: Çalışmaya 15-24 yaş arasında 134 gönüllü voleybolcu katılmıştır. Sporcuların kullandıkları psikolojik performans stratejilerini ve bu stratejilerin düzeylerini belirlemek üzere Thomas ve ark. (1999) tasarladığı Psikolojik Performans Stratejileri testi kullanılmıştır. İstatistiki analizlerin yapılması amacıyla Sosyal Bilimler için İstatistik programı kullanılmıştır. Olası farklılıkların tespiti için Bağımsız Örneklem t testi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Antrenman alt ölçeğinde kullanılan stratejiler arasında en yüksek ortalama kendinle konuşma becerisi; en az kullanılan ise dikkat kontrolü saptanmıştır. Müsabaka alt ölçeğinde ise en fazla kullanılan strateji olarak da aktivasyon becerisi; en düşük düzeyde kullanılan beceri stratejisi de rahatlama olarak bulunmuştur. Kullanılan becerilerin karşılaştırılması sonucunda hedef belirleme ve imgeleme becerileri dışındaki tüm becerilerde anlamlı farklılık bulunmuştur. Sonuç: Voleybolcuların psikolojik becerileri kullanım düzeyleri ve ne tür becerilerin daha fazla oranda çalıştırılması gerektiği ortaya koyulmuştur.