Abstract
To achieve consistent performance, athletes must integrate their physical and technical training with psychological skills training (PST). Research has shown that the ability to focus (Nideffer & Sagal, 2006), manage anxiety (Landers & Arent, 2006), and reflect on past performances (Hogg, 2002) are three key psychological skills for enhancing sport performance. Essentially, these skills enable athletes to self-manage psychologically, emotionally, and physiologically. The purpose of this study was to use a qualitative multiple-case study design to explore the experiences of track athletes during a season-long PST and biofeedback intervention. Five track athletes (18-33 yrs) took part in an 18-week intervention. Pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the intervention consisted of weekly PST and biofeedback training sessions with a sport psychology consultant. The weekly sessions consisted of a discussion about specific psychological skills, and reflection on past competitions. The biofeedback component was designed to increase the athletes' ability to self-manage physiologically using the modalities of respiration, heart rate, electromyography (EMG), peripheral body temperature, and skin conductance. Findings indicated that the athletes developed (a) a deeper understanding of the skill of focus, (b) a greater awareness of the importance of reflecting on past performances, and (c) an increased ability to manage their competitive anxiety.
