Sport psychology is a topic of growing interest. Many professionals read journals such as The International Journal of Sports, Journal of Sport Behavior, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, and The Sport Psychologist. In August 2008, Monitor on Psychology, the monthly publication of the American Psychological Association (APA), featured a special issue on sport psychology. Indeed, Division 47 of APA is devoted to "the scientific, educational, and clinical foundations of exercise and sport psychology." The North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA) and the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP) convene conferences each year to present scientific findings and new developments in a rapidly expanding field. The AAASP and other organizations also qualify professionals as certified sport and exercise psychology consultants. Finally, a visit to any bookstore will reveal the lay public’s fascination with sports, as revealed in numerous self-help books and guides to perfecting athletic performance. Behavioral psychologists have studied sport psychology for more than three decades (Martin, Thompson, & Regehr, 2004). Applied behavior analysis (ABA), in particular, has been an instrumental approach to behavioral coaching in many sports, including baseball (Osborne, Rudrud, & Zezoney, 1990), basketball (Pates, Cummings, & Maynard, 2002), figure skating (Ming & Martin, 1996), football (Ward & Carnes, 2002), golf (Pates, Oliver, & Maynard, 2001), ice hockey (Rogerson & Hrycaiko, 2002), soccer (Brobst & Ward, 2002), swimming (Hume & Crossman, 1992), and tennis (Allison & Ayllon, 1980). ABA stresses the application of learning theory principles, objective measurement of athletic skills, controlled outcome evaluation, and socially significant behavior-change. Cognitive behavior therapy, or CBT, also has been a dominant approach to psychological intervention in sports (Meyers, Whelan, & Murphy, 1996; Weinberg & Comar, 1994). CBT addresses athletic performance through cognitive-change methods combined with behavioral practice and environmental modifications. The purpose of the book described in this proposal is to compile the most recent experimental and applied research in behavioral sport psychology. Several journal articles have reviewed critical dimensions of behavioral sport psychology (Martin et al., 2004; Martin, Vause, & Schwartzman, 2005) but no book has covered the topic with an emphasis on ABA and CBT methodology and practice. Accordingly, Behavioral Sport Psychology: Evidence-Based Approaches to Performance Enhancement is a first of its kind volume.

Cognitive-behavioural therapies (CBTs) are foundational to sport psychology. The majority of the psychological techniques employed by sport psychologists in their work with athletes stem from CBTs. However, there is a knowledge gap concerning what CBTs are and how the different types of CBTs can be applied in sport. This knowledge gap is important to fill, because CBTs are highly effective and are easily integrated into the sport setting, and thus practitioners should be aware of, if not trained in, such approaches. Applying Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic Approaches in Sport is the first dedicated volume to bring together the dominant cognitive-behavioural approaches to sport psychology. This book includes state-of-the-art evidence regarding the theory and practice of CBTs in sport, produced by academic and applied leaders in the area. Chapters include key historical and theoretical information about the CBTs and intricate details as to how a range of CBTs are applied in the real world of sport. Also, in each chapter, authors will cover historical and contemporary literature, and offer a hypothetical applied case study that details how the approach is applied in sport. Practitioners (sport psychologists; psychotherapists), trainees, and students (undergraduate, and post-graduate) will for the first time receive an in-depth and sport-specific resource that includes a range of CBTs, making this book one of a kind.

Training and Supervision in Sport and Exercise Psychology presents a labyrinth of choices and challenges for trainees and supervisors, such as training and supervision mixing the science of doing sport and exercise psychology with the art of judgement and decision-making to deliver services to athletes. With a multitude of skills to master and competencies to gain, trainees and supervisors need assurances about best practice in their field and the assessments they can trust. Including cases, trainee autobiographical cases, and examples of good practice drawn from current and ex-trainees who have become sport psychology consultants, this book aims to educate trainees how to deal competently with professional and ethical guidelines. We aim to educate trainees to get started in service delivery, set up placement, work with clients, use supervision effectively, conduct academic research, and write sound assessments before preparing for a viva voce and beginning the transition to the workplace. This book shall serve trainees and their supervisors on their journey through to qualified status. Training and supervision to become a sport and exercise psychologist is of the utmost importance in the growing profession of sport and exercise psychology. This book aims to bring clarity, guidance, and support to learning and mastering professional skills in applied sport psychology service delivery. This book is key reading for undergraduates and postgraduates studying sport and exercise psychology and those studying for taught and professional doctorates in sport and exercise psychology.

Athletes are naturally exposed to significant psychological challenges in sports, but do not wait helplessly for the assistance of sports psychologists or trainers. Instead, they practise one form or another of self-regulation. Self-talk in Sport explores one such self-regulatory strategy: self-talk, the inner voice that accompanies every human being throughout their lives. Over time, research has revealed many secrets of self-talk in sport, though many others remain unveiled. This book offers you the opportunity to discover the multiple identities of our self-talk, how the “inner coach” serves as a rational counterpart to the irrational self, and what we need to do to develop our inner voice to reach its maximum self-regulatory potential. There is a general need for concrete interventions in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. In addition, the autonomous functioning of people is a central aim of psychological interventions that align with positive psychology and focus on people’s strengths rather than weaknesses. In this volume, researchers and applied practitioners are shown how they can use self-talk interventions to strengthen people’s rational self-regulation in order to deal with a variety of situations that apply to both sport and other exercise and performance contexts. Since self-talk is a tangible result of cognitive processes and inner experiences that researchers and applied practitioners can barely access, Self-talk in Sport is a tool for sports psychologists to understand and interact with hidden parts within athletes that have a major impact on sport and exercise experiences and performance. A book demonstrating the diverse – both rational and irrational identities – of self-talk, as well as specific interventions to change the inner dialogue of athletes, is a fundamental piece in the education of sport scientists.

Sports psychology, exploring the effects of psychological interventions on important performance-related outcomes, has become ever more popular and prevalent within elite level soccer clubs in the past decade as teams look to gain psychological as well as physiological advantages over their competitors. The Psychology of Soccer seeks to present the detailed understanding of the theories underpinning the psychological issues relating to soccer, along with practical insights into effective psychological interventions and strategies This book uses contemporary theory and research to elucidate key concepts and applied interventions. It includes world-leading expert commentaries of contemporary theoretical and applied approaches in understanding critical issues in soccer, and provides practical implications and insights into working effectively in soccer-related contexts. The Psychology of Soccer is an evidence-based resource to guide research and facilitate practice and will be a vital resource for researchers, practitioners, and coaches within the area of sport psychology and related disciplines.

Understanding why we act the way we do is key to fostering success. This book introduces PsychMapping, a unique model that visually and philosophically guides readers through the complexities of human behaviour. The holistic approach reveals how different psychological aspects interact and influence each other. The chapters follow the logic of the PsychMapping model, a map of all the key aspects in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. Each chapter is an opportunity for self-reflection and a perfect introduction for anyone interested in exploring the psychological aspects of human behaviour. Packed with practical experiences and real-world case studies, the book applies theories to life, making complex concepts accessible and actionable. A standout feature for professionals is the detailed self-reflection exercise, designed to enhance applied practice. PsychMapping in Sport, Exercise, and Performance is enriching for students, practitioners, and anyone eager to explore the psychological aspects of human behaviour.

Sport psychological training, an important part of athletes’ preparation, can give them the final edge in competition. This book provides a systematic structure for conducting sport psychological interventions that can be followed not only by sport psychologists, but also by athletes and coaches. The authors describe sport psychological measures that are based on scientific knowledge and have proven to be valuable in their applied work. The book is divided into two main parts. Part 1 presents the basic structure for sport psychological interventions and Part 2 focuses on concrete interventions and training measures. Part 1 further addresses the importance of personality factors for sports performance, illustrates how an athlete’s personality development can be enhanced, gives basic knowledge about diagnostic tools, and discusses talent selection. The second part of the book describes basic training, which focuses mainly on relaxation techniques, as well as skills training, essential for the stabilisation of athletic performance. Maintaining a balanced recovery-stress state is particularly important for the avoidance of overtraining. The book illustrates how athletes’ stress and recovery levels can be monitored in order to prevent overtraining. Part 2 further addresses how critical situations in an athlete’s career (including, for example, conflicts, career termination, and injuries) are to be handled, presenting various impact interventions, including clinical hypnosis. The final chapter of the book presents a mental toolbox, giving the practitioner an overview that will help to quickly identify a problem, its possible causes, and solutions.