Sport Psychology Chapter 20: Injury

What are the key areas of psychological recovery?

• antecedents

• emotional response to injury

• rehab compliance (motivational, goal setting, imagery, PST)

What is an injury?

• time loss from participation, tissue damage, medical attention

• anatomical diagnosis

• medical consultation 

How does an accident differ from an injury?

• accidents occur at random occurrences

Why are psychological causes overlooked?

• injury looked at in terms of mechanical causes but not psychological antecedents (personality, stress level, etc.)

What percent of time loss injuries are linked to psychological factors?

• 18%

What are related to injury prone athletes, personality type, or personality characteristics?

• personality characteristics (factors)

What personality characteristics lead to increased risk of injury?

• risk taking

• poor coping 

• uncontrolled aggression 

• fear of failure 

What does the psychodynamic explanation of injury prone athlete’s say?

• risk seeking

• athletes facilitate their own injury by entering high risk situations

How would the low level of consciousness explanation explain an injury prone athlete?

• sympathy seeking

• affected by past performance, guilt, escaping anxiety

• get out of stressful situations by saying their injured

• want attention

could coaches indirectly cause injury if they don’t distinguish the risk takers and sympathy seekers?

• yes

What psychological factors are believed to be related to sport-injury?

• Personality: risk taking, poor coping, aggression 

• Attitudes: “play through pain”, “never show weakness”

• Social Factors: expectations from coaches, parents, teammates

• Stress: high life or competitive stress taxes attentional and physical resources 

What are some other psychological contributions to injury?

• coach pressure, socialization to ignore pain, always give %110

• rewarding effort, even though injury

• high life stress + poor coping = higher injury risk

Should coaches teach athletes to distinguish between training pain and injury pain?

• yes

what is stress?

• relationship between the person and the environment appraised as taxing and exceeding resources

How does stress physically affect an athlete?

• narrows attention, increase muscle tension 

Athletes with greater amounts of life stress experience what?

• more injuries than athletes with lower levels of life stress

What does increased state anxiety cause?

• distraction

• irrelevant thoughts

What does increased muscle tension cause?

• interface with coordination leading to increased risk of injury

What factors affect the stress response?

• personality 

• history of stressors 

• coping resources 

Personality

• hardiness

• locus of control

• sense of coherence

• competitive trait anxiety

• achievement motivation

History of stressors

• life events

• daily hassle

• previous injury

Coping resources

• general coping behavior

• social support system

• stress management/mental skills

• mediation

Based on the stress injury model, what affect injury risk?

• cognitive appraisal 

• interventions

What are the two components of the stress response?

• cognitive appraisal of demands, resources, consequences

• Physiological/Attention: increased muscle tension, narrow visual field, increased distraction

What can improve athletes stress response?

• PST

• Team cohesion

What are common psychological Reponses to injury?

• fear

• isolation

• depression

• identity loss

• stressors

What are common stressors by injured athletes?

• physical problems 

• medical treatment 

• rehab difficulties 

• finances 

• career worry 

• sense of missed opportunities 

What’s the biggest stressor?

• fear of re-injury

What are signs of poor adjustment?

• anger, denial, withdrawal, mood swings

• obsessed with returning

• risky behavior

• guilt

What is the order of the grief model?

1. denial

2. anger

3. bargaining

4. depression

5. acceptance

what are the primary and secondary appraisals of the cognitive appraisal model?

• Primary Appraisal: emotional meaning 

• Secondary appraisal: coping resources 

What is the cognitive model impacted by? What affects emotional response?

• perception of injury shapes

Order of cognitive appraisal

1. cognitive appraisal (influenced by personality, injury, situational factors)

2. emotional response

3. behavioral response

Can injury be positive?

• yes, with effort and reflection

• can lead to growth, skill development, perspective shift = hardiness

How would you facilitate a positive response for an athlete during injury recovery?

• recognize problem solving strategies 

• encourage reframing over time 

• avoid secondary victimization 

Secondary Victimization

• additional harm a person experiences after injury caused by responses of others

What should be considered during psychological rehab?

• educate and structure rehab plan

• monitor progress (goal setting)

• build predictability and athlete control

Over adherence vs. under adherence

• Over: over train, high anxiety

• Under: low confidence, fear, poor support

Upward vs. downward spiral during rehab?

• Downward: negative self-talk, poor effort, low outcomes

• Upward: progress, motivation, better outcomes

What are some tools to build confidence?

• thought stopping

• self-talk

• recognize triggers

• reinforce positive beliefs

How is motivation affected during rehab?

• decline during pain, setbacks, midpoint

• Monitor signs: low effort, missed sessions, vague goals

How should goals be set during rehab?

• effective (smart) goals improve performance

• must be meaningful and supported

• self-determined by athlete

How does imagery impact rehab?

• fast healers use imagery, support, positive mindset

• imager aid pain control, mood, confidence, healing 

Healing imagery vs. pain management?

• healing imagery: muscles knitting, swelling draining

• Pain management: relaxing, distracting, symbolic visuals

What is key to full recovery?

• integrated approach