The Psychology of Injury Chapter 5 The Psychology of Injury

Personality Variables Characteristics that are related to sports injuries include: General personality. Trait anxiety. Locus of control. Self-concept. Marko Risovic/Webphotographer/Alamy Images

Personal Variables General Personality Personality is defined as “stable, enduring qualities of the individual.” Qualities such as: Aggressive vs Passive Introvert vs Extrovert Optimist vs Pessimist

Personal Variables Trait Anxiety Defined as “a general disposition or tendency to perceive certain situations as threatening and to react with an anxiety response.” Qualities such as: Fight vs Flight

Personal Variables Locus of Control Defined as; people’s belief, or lack of, that they are in control of events occurring in their lives. Qualities such as: External locus of control vs internal locus of control

Personal Variables Self Concept Defined as; how someone perceives themselves. Includes self-esteem Perception of "self" in relation to any number of characteristics, such as academics (and nonacademics), gender roles, sexuality, and racial identity.

Psychosocial Variables and Injury Psychosocial variables develop through interaction between individual and a changing social environment. Life events can be stressful either positively or negatively. A strong relationship exists between negative events and increased injury risk. Athletes with higher degrees of coping skills are less likely to get injured.

Coping Mechanisms Positive Coping Mechanism Negative Coping Mechanism Benefit Finding- searching for the good Displacement- adjusting expectations Immediate Problem Solving- resolving underlying causes immediately after Negative Coping Mechanism Displacement/Projection- blaming others Repression- trying to forget Denial- believing/claiming fact as fiction

Competitive Stress and Adolescents As more children participate in sports, there are more concerns regarding the psychological impact of competition. Intensity of competition has increased. Pressure to win is a concern. Young athletes may be more prone to injury, psychosomatic illness, burnout, and other stress-related problems. Coaches and parents must take care to avoid forcing children beyond their ability to cope.

Psychology of Injury Stressors Defined as: Condition or event that causes physical, chemical, and/or mental responses inside of the body and are usually associated with a negative state that can have an impact on one’s mental and physical well-being. What are 3 stressors you have in sport? In everyday life?

Psychology of Injury Injury is a psychological stressor for athletes. According to Weiss & Troxel, the Stress Process: Phase 1 –The athlete adapts to activity restriction. Phase 2 – The athlete appraises short- and long-term significance of the injury. Phase 3 – The athlete experiences emotional responses. Final stage – The athlete resolves issue and copes with long-term consequences as long as the athlete has positive coping mechanisms.

Effective Coping Mechanism leads to resolution Stress Process Cycle Situation Demands Constraints Opportunities Appraisal Of situation and personal resources Emotional Response Psychological and cognitive-attentional components Consequences Behavioral Psychological Health-Related Stress Process Cycle- a progression brought on by stressors that can become unending if person does not know how to correctly utilize coping mechanism Effective Coping Mechanism leads to resolution

Guidelines for Working with an Injured Athlete Recommendations involve: Treating the person, not just the injury. Treating the athlete as an individual. Keeping in mind the importance of communication skills. Remembering the relationship between physical & psychological skills. Seeking the help of a sports psychologist.

Eating Disorders Majority of sports have narrow parameters for appropriate body type for athletic success. Specific sports require specific body types. Media exposure focuses on physical appearance, especially for females. Emphasis on the ideal body has negative effects on the athletic population.

William Sheldon’s Body Types

Types of Eating Disorders Anorexia nervosa – self-starvation motivated by obsession with thinness and overwhelming fear of fat Bulimia nervosa – repeated bouts of binge eating followed by some form of purging EDNOS - extremely atypical eating behaviors that are not characterized by either of the other established disorders.

Eating Disorders (cont.) Female athletes are more likely to practice pathogenic (unhealthy) dietary habits than males. Rosen et al. found that 32% of athletes practiced some form of pathogenic eating behavior. Little is known about pathogenic eating disorders in male athletes, for example, “making weight” in wrestling.

Eating Disorders (cont.) Sport Specificity and Eating Disorders There is a higher incidence of eating disorders in gymnastics, ballet, distance running, diving, and figure skating. In a gymnastics study (n=215), over 60% reported disordered eating behaviors.

Eating Disorders (cont.) Eating disorders are becoming concerns in sports such as field hockey, softball, volleyball, track, and tennis. Associated physical problems include esophageal inflammation, erosion of tooth enamel, hormone imbalances, kidney and heart problems, and amenorrhea. Depression and anxiety often affect people with eating disorders.

Effects of Eating Disorders Risk of heart failure Reduction of bone density (osteoporosis), Muscle loss and weakness. Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure. Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness. Dry hair and skin; hair loss is common. Inflammation and possible rupture of the esophagus Tooth decay and staining from stomach acids Chronic irregular bowel movements and constipation Peptic ulcers and pancreatitis. Heart disease

Prevention Prevention efforts include: Placing less emphasis on weight. Avoiding referral to weight in a negative manner. Avoiding mandatory weigh-ins. Avoiding ostracizing an athlete for being overweight. Coaches and parents need to be alert for early warning signs.

One-third of all cases do not respond to therapy. Treatment Ranges from counseling and education to hospitalization. May include psychological counseling as eating disorders can be symptoms of severe psychological problems such as depression. Seek out professionals like counselors, psychologist, doctors, or a sports medicine professional One-third of all cases do not respond to therapy.