Transcript Chapter 5
Chapter 5 The Psychology of Injury Personality Variables Personality-defined as “stable, enduring qualities of the individual.” Personality characteristics that are related to sports injuries include: • **(ex: aggressive vs passive, introverted vs extroverted) • **-a general disposition or tendency to perceive certain situations as threatening and to react with an anxiety response Personality Characteristics Cont. • Locus of Control – people’s belief, or lack thereof, of being in control of events occurring in their lives • **: feel they have very little control over events in their life • Believe factors such as fate, destiny, or luck determine life events • **: feel they are responsible for what happens to them • They are in charge of their own life Personality Characteristics Cont. • Self Concept – an individual’s perception of “self” • Low self-concept functions as a significant risk factor for athletic injury • Less able to deal effectively with the stress of competition, and this inability may lead to behavior that will result in injury • Being injured may become an attractive alternative to participation because it gives the athlete a legitimate excuse to avoid playing (receive more attention from teammates or coaches than they would normally receive) • TSCS – Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (test that identifies athletes will low self-concept) Seasonal Affective Disorder • A psychiatric disorder that affects the general population, including athletes, primarily in the fall and winter seasons • Symptoms – loss of physical capacity and energy, increased appetite (craves carbs), hypersomnia (excessive sleep), anhedonia (lack of normal pleasurable activities), and impaired social activity Psychosocial Variables and Injury • Psychosocial variables develop through interaction between individual and a changing social environment. • *. • A strong relationship exists between negative events and increased injury risk. • * Competitive Stress and Adolescents As more children participate in sports, there are more concerns regarding the psychological impact of competition. • * • Pressure to win is a concern. • Young athletes may be more prone to injury, psychosomatic illness, burnout, and other stress-related problems. • * Psychology of Injury Injury is a psychological stressor (anything that effects the body’s physiological or psychological condition and upsets the homeostatic balance) for athletes. According to Weiss & Troxel: • Phase 1 –* • Phase 2 – The athlete appraises short- and long-term significance of the injury. (may engage in negative self doubt) • Phase 3 – * • Final stage – The athlete copes with long-term consequences. Psychology of the Injured Athlete Recommendations involve: 1. Treating the person, not just the injury. 2. * 3. Keeping in mind the importance of communication skills. 4. Remembering the relationship between physical & psychological skills. 5. * Eating Disorders Majority of sports have narrow parameters for appropriate body type for athletic success. (Biomechanics) • * • Media exposure focuses on physical appearance, especially for females. • Emphasis on the ideal body has negative effects on the athletic population. Types of Eating Disorders Anorexia nervosa – self-starvation motivated by obsession with thinness and overwhelming fear of fat; often times have a grossly distorted body image Bulimia nervosa – repeated bouts of binge eating followed by some form of purging ** * Both are forms of eating disorders that are serious psychological problems that are most common among adolescent and young-adult females 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. (vomiting, taking diuretics, exercising in rubber suits, etc) 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. Complications of Eating Disorders • • • • • • • • Esophageal inflammation * Hormone imbalances * Amenorrhea Electrolyte imbalances * Anxiety Prevention • Placing less emphasis on weight. • Avoiding referral to weight in a negative manner. • * • Avoiding ostracizing an athlete for being overweight. Coaches and parents need to be alert for early warning signs. 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. One-third of all cases do not respond to therapy.