Mental Preparation for the Paralympic Games

1. Mental Preparation for the Paralympic Games Jeffrey Martin Professor Division of Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

2. Personal Introduction • Ph.D. (1992) in sport and exercise psychology. • Wayne State University (MI) for 20 years. • Over 100 publications. • Over half on disability sport and exercise psychology. • Ranging from friendship benefits of disability sport for children to Paralympic excellence.

3. Presentation Roadmap • Who are Paralympians. • Why Mental Preparation. • Why Mental Preparation for the Paralympic Games specifically. • What is Mental Preparation. • What do we know about Mental Preparation. • How can Paralympians mentally prepare.

4. Who are Paralympians

9. Why Mental Preparation

10. Athlete PerspectiveI haven’t just been out here training for the last month on the gold coast, I’ve been training hard for 4 years: It’s the mentally toughest athlete that will win gold, and I know I’m the mentally toughest (Simon Jackson, Paralympic Gold Medalist)

11. Sport Psychologist Perspective Mental training can’t replace physical training and talent. Physical training and physical ability isn’t enough to succeed consistently. A strong mind may not win you an PARAlympic medal, but a weak mind will lose you one (McCann, USOC Sport Psychologist)

12. Mental Preparation For optimal training prior to the Paralympics.For superior Paralympic Game performances

13. Why Mental Preparation for the Paralympics

14. The Paralympic environment is an intense, exciting, unremitting emotional roller coaster. It is also unforgiving and abrasive and ….. (Katz, 2004).

15. What is Mental Preparation/Mental Skills

16. An attitude

17. A set of cognitive, affective, & behavioral skillsthat can be learned via practice

18. These skills can be developed and used in training and competition as well as after competition

19. What is Mental Preparation/Mental Skills

20. Imagery • Self-talk • Concentration • Goal setting • Energy management

21. What do we know about mental preparation at the elite and Paralympic level. What are the unique challenges Paralympians might anticipate and manage with mental skills.

22. The Research • Training • Getting to the Games • Psychological • Physiological • Lifestyle

23. Training • Training for the Paralympic Games • Athletes are often on their own without teammates • Limited, infrequent and/or no coaching • Under-employed and under-paid • Inability to work out in exercise clubs and/or the neighborhood parks/trails/paths • Few teams or programs

24. Getting to the ParalympicsYou’ve just sat in a seat on an airplane and it may be an hour before the plane takes off. You’ve been herded on board and thrown about all over the place and then you’ve got this long flight, and you know when you get to the other end you’re going to be last off, and then you’ve got to go and sort our baggage out (British Paralympian)

25. Psychological: Optimal Emotions

26. Olympic Skiers • Positive emotions were associated with competition and when engaged in good quality technical training • Negative emotions were not always harmful and were least harmful when athletes engaged in “hard” work training • Canadian cross country skiers were 3.6% faster when using cue words (e.g., Go, drive, rip) to generate emotion

27. Psychological: Positive Thoughts

28. Canadian X-C Olympic Skiers • Positive self-statement group were 3.2% faster when using positive phrases.

29. Psychological: Personality • and Mood

30. Personality and Mood of Paralympic Women’s Basketball Gold Medalists • Team Members Nonqualifiers Club • International Effect Sizes • Variable M SD M SD M SD Cohen’s Effect • D Size r • Personality • TM* 5.7 1.7 4.3 1.0 1.12 0.49 • AX* 5.6 1.9 7.8 0.7 –1.69 –0.65 • EX 5.3 1.9 6.0 1.0 –0.82 –0.38 • SC 5.2 2.1 6.5 0.9 –0.57 –0.28 • Mood • TN 8.6 4.1 10.9 4.2 9.6 5.7 –0.61 –0.29 • DP* 3.9 3.2 6.7 2.5 8.7 4.4 –0.98 –0.44 • AG 5.8 4.0 7.4 4.3 9.9 6.2 –0.46 –0.22 • VG* 19.5 4.3 14.8 2.6 15.6 18.5 1.34 0.56 • FT 5.4 3.5 8.1 3.2 8.2 5.4 –0.67 –0.32 • CF* 5.5 2.2 7.5 2.3 7.4 4.0 –0.91 –0.41 • Note. Personality: TM = Tough Mindedness, AX = Anxiety, IN = Independence, EX = Extraversion, SC = • Self-control. Mood: TN = Tension, DP = Depression, AG = Anger, VG = Vigor, FT = Fatigue, CF = Confusion.

31. Psychological: Confidence • and Optimism

32. Wheelchair Basketball Players • 1 2 3 4 5 • 1. PSE • 2. TSE .22* • 3. TCSE .23* .29** • 4. RSE .20 .37** .78** • 5. PA .12 .05 .29** .29* • 6. NA-.20 .03 -.40** -.37* -.38* ----------------------------------------------------------------------- • PSE = Performance self-efficacy, • TSE = Training self-efficacy, • TCSE = Thought control self-efficacy, • RSE = Resiliency self-efficacy, • PA = Positive affect, NA = Negative affect.

33. Physiological: Competition effort or conditioning/strategy

34. Paralympic Rugby Team Distance by Velocity 0.75 0.62 * V1:0 - 0.1 mph V2:0.1 - 1.5 mph V3:1.5 - 3.1 mph V4:3.1 - 4.7 mph V5:> 4.7 mph 0.37 * * 0.25 * 0.12 * * Sig. difference (p < .05)

35. Physiological: Sleep

36. Brazilian Paralympians • Most had poor sleep quality in the Paralympic village • 72% of athletes with poor quality sleep had medium anxiety • 28% of athletes with good quality sleep had medium anxiety • British Paralympians have reported that poor sleep was a source of stress

37. Lifestyle: Adapting to the Paralympic village

38. Roommate IssuesI am concerned as to whether I will be able to “live” with someone I have little in common with, other than an impaired embodiment, for the next three and half weeks. How will these living arrangements impact upon my performances on the track (David Howe, Paralympian)

39. Classification • Classification at the Paralympic Games • Classification: Can create anxiety and stress because of the uncertainty of it. • If re-classified, can undermine confidence and cause anxiety.

40. Paralympics: Helping Athletes Achieve Excellence

41. Athletes Learn all you can about the Paralympic experience. Question past Paralympians about their experiences.

42. Athletes Be aware of, anticipate, plan for all the known challenges. Be prepared for the unknown and completely unpredictable challenges.

43. Athletes Strong mental skills will not insure a PARAlympic medal but a lack of skills could lose you one. Start developing mental skills NOW. Learn about and practice effective goal setting.

44. Athletes • How you think influences your feelings and behavior. • Become aware of your self-talk and make it less negative and more positive. • Develop an imagery script for a Paralympic performance.

45. 1. Coaches frequently don’t know what their athletes are thinking. 2. Coaches must be involved in the mental training process.(McCann, USOC Sport Psychologist). Coaches

46. 1. Sometimes it is ok to force athletes to take the time to do mental training. 2. Coaches need to think about their own mental skills (McCann, USOC Sport Psychologist) Coaches

47. 2008 Paralympics

48. Thanks to all

49. References and Contact Information • Dr. Jeffrey Martin: aa3975@wayne.edu