A Mental Skills Package for Special Olympics Athletes: A Preliminary Study
By Gregg, Melanie J.; Hrycaiko, Dennis; Mactavish, Jennifer B.; Martin, Garry L.; Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 4-18Publication Date: January 2004
Study conducted to replicate and extend a mental skills package to Special Olympics track and field athletes with intellectual disabilities. Research has demonstrated that mental skills training (MST) packages are effective for enhancing athletic performance. Mental skills training involves psychological elements that enhance athletic performance, and involves elements such as relaxation therapy, imagery, self-talk, and goal-setting. The purpose of developing a MST package is to combine all of the skills necessary for performance enhancement into a single intervention. Three Special Olympics track-and-field athletes participated in the study. The MST package served as the independent variable to examine the effects of the intervention on the dependent variables, which included off-task behaviors, work output, and competition results. The study ultimately demonstrated that it is possible to involve high functioning Special Olympics athletes in an MST program.
Published by: Human Kinetics, Inc. (Website:http://www.humankinetics.com)
International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA) (Web Site: http://www.ifapa.biz )
