Chapter 13 - Arousal Regulation

Why should we regulate arousal?

• stress is part of our lives

• pressure to perform has increased in sport

• to stay focused and in control

Self-awareness of arousal

you must increase your awareness of your psychological states before you can control your thoughts and feelings

people who see their anxiety typically perform better and cope more effectively

Anxiety-Reducing Techniques

Somatic anxiety reduction

Cognitive anxiety reduction

Multimodal anxiety reduction packages

Somatic anxiety reduction

Anxiety-Reducing Techniques;

Progressive relaxation

Breath control

Biofeedback

Progressive relaxation

Somatic anxiety reduction;

learn to feel the tension in your muscles and then to let go of the tension

Breath control

Somatic anxiety reduction;

when you are under pressure and tense, your breathing is short, shallow, and irregular

when you are calm, confident, and in control, your breathing is smooth, deep, and rhythmic

Biofeedback

Somatic anxiety reduction;

use of sensors/monitoring devices to provide real-time information about physiological processes to athletes and their coaches

Cognitive anxiety reduction

Anxiety-Reducing Techniques;

Relaxation response

Autogenic training

Systematic desensitization

Relaxation response

Cognitive anxiety reduction;

teaches individuals to quiet the mind, concentrate, and reduce muscle tension by applying the elements of meditation

Autogenic training

Cognitive anxiety reduction;

focuses on producing two physical sensations—warmth and heaviness—to produce a relaxed state

Systematic desensitization

Cognitive anxiety reduction;

uses relaxation and gradual exposure to anxiety—producing situation to reduce competitive anxiety and increase confidence

Multimodal anxiety reduction packages

Anxiety-Reducing Techniques;

the most effective for performance enhancement

Cognitive-affective stress management training (SMT)

Stress inoculation training (SIT)

Cognitive-affective stress management training (SMT)

Multimodal anxiety reduction packages;

teaches a person specific integrated coping responses using relaxation and cognitive components to control emotional arousal

Stress inoculation training (SIT)

Multimodal anxiety reduction packages;

an individual is exposed to and learns to cope with stress in increasing amounts, thereby enhancing immunity to stress

ex: productive thoughts, mental images, self-statements

Five Phases of Stress Management Training

1. Pretreatment phase (assess skills and deficits)

2. Treatment rationale phase

3. Skill acquisition (training in muscular relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and self-instruction)

4. Skill rehearsal

5. Posttraining evaluation

The Matching Hypothesis

an anxiety management should be matched to a particular problem

Predictions:

• cognitive anxiety should be treated with mental relaxation

• somatic anxiety should be treated with physical relaxation

Coping

procress of constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific external or internal demands or conflicts appraised as taxing or exceeding one’s resources

Problem-focused, Emotion-focused

Problem-focused coping

coping;

efforts to alter or manage the problems that are causing stress (e.g., time management, problem solving)

use when stressful situations can be changed

Emotion-focused coping

coping;

regulating the emotional responses to the problem that causes the stress (e.g., through relaxation, meditation)

use when situations are not amenable to change

Resiliency

the use of a variety of coping strategies to improve adaptation and overcome adversity

social support and mental toughness needed, which improve mental health and well-being

Sport Team Resilient Characteristics

Group structure

Mastery approaches

Social capital

Collective efficacy

Group structure

Sport Team Resilient Characteristics;

positive group norms and values, clearly defining communication channels

Master approaches

Sport Team Resilient Characteristics;

effective behavioral responses, effectively managing change

Social capital

Sport Team Resilient Characteristics;

social support, strong group identity

Collective efficacy

Sport Team Resilient Characteristics;

group cohesion, positive communications after failure

Signs of Underarousal

• moving slowly, not getting set

• mind wandering, easily distracted

• lack of concern about how one will perform

• lack of anticipation or enthusiasm

• heavy feeling in legs, no bounce

Arousal-Inducing Techniques

• Goal: get athletes at an optimal level of arousal

• should be deliberate and not over-arouse athletes

• act energized

• use mood words and positive statements

• listen to music

• energizing imagery

Pep Talks — Guidelines for Coaches

• give them a plan

• make them believe they can win

• do not lie

• be yourself

• use humor