Acceptance and Commitment Approaches for Athletes’ Wellbeing and Performance: The Flexible Mind

✍ Scribed by Ross G. White, Andrew Bethell, Lewis Charnock, Stephen Leckey, Victoria Penpraze

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2021
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 308
• Edition: 1st ed. 2021
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Elite sport can be an unforgiving and harsh environment. This book explores psychological predictors of wellbeing and performance excellence in elite level athletes, and presents an innovative approach for optimizing mental wellbeing and sporting performance. Jointly developed by performance psychologists, clinical psychologists and sport scientists the Flexible Mind approach draws on contemporary psychological theory and research to help athletes build ‘psychological flexibility’ - the ability to experience challenging thoughts and emotions and still be true to one’s values. A range of case studies relating to different sports are used to demonstrate how three core components - Being Present, Being Open and Doing What Matters - can improve athletes’ performance and wellbeing. This book will be a game-changing resource for sports psychologists, mental health practitioners, coaches and support staff who are committed to helping athletes to excel and stay well.

✦ Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Praise for Acceptance and Commitment Approaches for Athletes’ Wellbeing and Performance
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
1: The Flexible Mind Approach: What Is It, and What Does It Offer?
The Road to WExceLLence
Introducing Tyre 1
Introducing Tyre 2
Key Considerations in Delivering the Flexible Mind Approach
Mental Toughness: Contribution and Contention
Introducing Psychological Flexibility
References
2: Mindfulness- and Acceptance-Based Interventions for Performance and Mental Health Outcomes in Sport
Chapter Overview
What Exactly Are Mindfulness- and Acceptance-Based Interventions?
Can MABIs Help Enhance Sport Performance?
What About Mental Health and Wellbeing?
How Many Studies Were Identified?
What MABIs Were Used?
Did the Studies Measure the Same Mental Health Outcomes?
Did the MABIs Have Beneficial Effects for Mental Health and Wellbeing?
Anxiety
Burnout
Mood and Affect
Psychological Distress
Were These Studies Any Good?
So, What Do the Findings Tell Us?
Was This Surprising?
What Else Does the Review Indicate?
References
3: Setting the Scene for the Flexible Mind Approach
Chapter Overview
The ABCs of the Flexible Mind Approach
Exploring the Theoretical Underpinnings of ACT: Relational Frame Theory
Somethings Old, Somethings Borrowed and Somethings New
Psychological Flexibility and the 3Es: Explain, Experience and Embody
Tailoring the Flexible Mind Approach to Different Sports
What the Flexible Mind Approach Can and Cannot Achieve
Between-Session Practice
Measuring Athletes’ Progress Towards WExceLLence
Competency, Supervision and ACT Fidelity
Bringing the Different Aspects Together
References
4: Introducing Athletes to the Flexible Mind Approach (Session 1)
Overview of the Chapter
What Might the Initial Session Look Like?
Introducing the Athlete to the Flexible Mind Model
Understanding What’s Going On: Assessment
Functional Analysis
Introducing the Choice Point
Making Sense of What’s Going on for the Athlete
So What Exactly Is Formulation?
How Do We Do It?
What’s Going on for Vikram
Mapping This on the P.O.D.
Working with the Athlete’s Goals and Objectives
SMART Goals
Value-Consistent Goals
Behavioural Goals Versus Emotional Goals
Great! Now, Where Do We Start?
References
5: Mind Full Versus Mindful (Session 2)
The Non-judgemental Aspect of Mindfulness
The Opportunities That Mindfulness Affords
What’s So Great About the Present Moment?
Introducing Mindfulness Practices
Opening Up to Experiences
Providing a Supportive Environment for Mindfulness Practice
References
6: Orientating to Our Inner Compass (Session 3)
Defining Values
Values: A Form of Self-expression
Suffering: A ‘Window of Opportunity’ to See Values
The T.E.A.M B.U.S Approach
Finding Common Ground: Debating ‘set plays’ Versus Agreeing an Overarching ‘philosophy of play’
Measuring Values
Be Aware of the Values-‘blinkers’
Use SMART Goals
References
7: Being Open, Living Big (Session 4)
Being Vigilant to Intensity and Frequency of Challenging Thoughts
The Impact of Scrutiny and Judgement
Willingness Versus Wanting
References
8: Getting Present with the Discomfort (Session 5)
Overview of the Chapter
Noticing Our Inclination to ‘Time Travel’ Away from the Present Moment
‘When… Then… Traps’
Connecting with Our Inner and Outer Experience
Engaging the ‘Noticer’
References
9: Flexibility … of the Psychological Kind (Session 6)
Revisiting the Concept of Psychological Flexibility
Recognising When the Mind Is Not Flexible
Making the Transitions in the ‘P.O.D. Triathlon’
Checking in on Kyle’s Progress
References
10: Developing the Game Plan (Session 7)
Overview of the Chapter
Developing the Game Plan
The Challenges of Deselection
Assessing Psychological Inflexibility in Relation to Self-critical Thoughts
Dealing with Dilemmas
Goal-Setting
Keep on Keeping on: Maintain Gains Beyond the Intervention
Identifying Cheerleaders
Developing a Blueprint for the Future
Looking Back to Move Forward
Extra Time
References
11: Getting the Environment Right
Explore the Opportunities for Marginal Gains
Use the Athletes’ Language
Recognise the Importance of the Places and Spaces Where Action Happens
Enlisting the Support of Allies
Working with Athlete’s Ambivalence and Resistance
Get Values off the Changing Room Wall and into the Athlete’s Lives
Dealing with Dissenting Voices
Dealing with Bumps in the Road: The Role of Psychological Safety
Identify the Gatekeepers
Remember the Importance of Experiential Learning
Practitioner Flexibility Begets Athlete Flexibility
References
Appendices
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Index