Volume 11, Issue 1 -

Opportunities for athletes with an intellectual disability (ID) to participate in sport are limited by physical and psychosocial barriers. Sport psychology interventions may be able to address these barriers, namely the lack of sport competence that athletes with an ID experience. This study sought to enhance sport competence among athletes with an ID using personalized motivational general-mastery (MG-M) imagery scripts. The six-week study assessed the imagery use, imagery ability, and sport competence of five Special Olympians (M age =11.40) who had ID’s including autism, a mild intellectual disability, and a moderate intellectual disability. Three of five participants demonstrated improvements in sport competence through the intervention, with two of those three maintaining these changes upon withdrawal of the intervention. Effect sizes suggested that scores became more stable during the intervention for three of five participants. Implications of the current study emphasize the feasibility of conducting research with this special population of athletes. Additionally, this study identifies the relevant modifications for mental skills training with individuals who have an ID. Results suggest that imagery use, ability, and sport competence can be improved with individualized imagery training among athletes with an ID.

The PETTLEP model provides guidelines for employing imagery, including suggestions for image speed. Current models and research emphasize real-time image speed, with the possibility for benefits from slow-motion images when learning a task. This study investigated the effect of three different image speeds (real-time, slow-motion, and fast-motion) on 56 novice golfers’ performance in a putting task. Results demonstrated significant differences in performance among fast-motion and all other image speeds, such that performance was worse following fast-motion imagery compared to performance following other image speeds. There was no difference between performance in slow-motion and real-time image speed conditions. These findings could potentially aid in improving the delivery of imagery interventions to novice athletes.

The study investigated the effect of vision and auditory distraction on the quality of motor imagery (MI). Sixty participants ( M age 24.07 ± 3.64 years) completed the experimental task (modified version of Timed-Up-and-Go-Test (mTUG)) under three conditions: (A) baseline (no distraction), (B) positive and (C) negative auditory stimuli. Subjects were required to physically execute or imagine 10 series of the mTUG in each condition either with open/closed eyes. Results revealed better mental chronometry with open eyes whereas auditory distraction negatively affect performance. Findings imply that vision and auditory distraction should be taken into account as factors that influence MI quality.

This experiment compared the effectiveness of layered stimulus response training (LSRT) and combined action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) for improving golf putting performance and imagery ability characteristics. Twenty-four novice golfers were randomly assigned to LSRT, AOMI or reading (control) intervention groups ( n =8), that all incorporated physical practice. Putting performance and imagery ability characteristics were measured at pre-test (day 1), post-test (day 5) and retention test (day 8). Putting performance improved in the LSRT group but not in the AOMI or control groups. Whilst there was no change in general movement imagery ability across the experiment, task-specific imagery ability did improve in both the LSRT and AOMI groups.

The purpose of the current study was twofold. The first purpose was to examine the relationship between children’s active play imagery and personal and social skills. The second purpose was to examine the relationship between children’s active play imagery and self-confidence. A total of 105 male and female children ( M age =9.84, SD =1.41) were recruited from various summer programs, and completed inventories that assessed their active play imagery (i. e., capability, social, and fun), personal and social skills, and self-confidence. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that all three types of active play imagery (social, capability, and fun) were positively and significantly related to personal and social skills, with social imagery accounting for the most variance. Further, regression analysis showed that both fun and capability imagery were positively and significantly associated with self-confidence, with fun imagery accounting for the most variance. This study highlights the usefulness of imagery in fostering children’s personal and social skills as well as self-confidence.