Abstract
Healing imagery has been found to effectively reduce the time of recovery from various athletic injuries when used in combination with other mental skills, such as self-talk and relaxation (Ievleva & Orlick, 1991). However, the literature remains void of a study that specifically examines healing imagery it's potential benefits. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of a healing imagery intervention through comparing injured athletes placed in an intervention group and control group on: satisfaction with rehabilitation, self-efficacy to recover, and recovery time. The sample consisted of 13 injured varsity athletes (intervention group, n=6; control group, n=7) utilizing the athletic therapy services at Wilfrid Laurier University. A significant interaction effect was found for satisfaction with rehabilitation, as athletes' in the intervention group increased in satisfaction from week 2 to 3 while the control group decreased in satisfaction during the same time period. Both groups were found to be significantly higher in task self-efficacy than coping self-efficacy during injury rehabilitation. A follow-up qualitative analysis of the intervention group revealed that the healing imagery intervention positively affected athletes' in a unique, individualized manner. Results will be discussed with respect to a gained understanding of imagery effects, study limitations, and future directions.
