Blogs & Research Articles

The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of a 3-week online psychological skills training education programme within a group of amateur tennis players. The psychological skills used in this study were imagery, self-talk and goal setting. Participants had 1-week to watch all the sessions and then 3-weeks to implement them before being interviewed about their experiences. Overall, the results from the interviews suggested that remotely delivered psychological skills training sessions can have both performance and enjoyment benefits. It was noted that just by making amateur athletes aware of these techniques, it can elicit some positive outcomes. Additionally, it was noted that the use of face-to-face contact was still needed to improve the quality of the sessions, but this must be in moderation. The importance of practical examples within the sessions, to provide a framework for implementation, was made clear from all the interviews. Finally, there was strong support for the app-based delivery of these psychological skills, especially for younger generations. The practical implications of these findings are discussed. More research is needed specifically using app-based delivery, as well as utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods for assessing the benefits of remotely delivered psychological skills training sessions.