Examining the Role of Life Skills in Mediating the Relationship between the Basic Psychological Needs and Subjective Well-Being of Taekwondo Student-Athletes.

Various theories in the field of positive youth development (PYD) through sport argue that student athletes' satisfaction with basic psychological needs, life skills development, and well-being are closely related to each other. This study identified the structural relationship among three basic psychological needs, life skills, and subjective well-being. Korean Taekwondo student athletes (N = 302, Mage = 17.67, range = 17-19) completed a survey evaluating basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), life skills (teamwork, goal setting, social skills, time management, and leadership), and subjective well-being (life satisfaction, positive/negative affect). Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, correlation, and the Structural Equation Model (SEM). The model's goodness of fit was Ï°2/df = 2.78, TLI = 0.90, CFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.077 (95% CI = 0.70, 0.80), and SRMR = 0.085. The three basic psychological needs were positively related to life skills and subjective well-being. In addition, life skills had a mediation effect between the three basic psychological needs and subjective well-being. The interpretation of the results indicated that life skills development and well-being depend on basic psychological needs. Thus, coaches should encourage a PYD climate to satisfy their athletes' psychological needs.

Applications of psychological skills training for Paralympic table tennis athletes.

This study examined effects of psychological skills training (PST) for Korean national table tennis athletes with spinal cord injuries (SCI), who were training for the 2012 London Paralympics. Participants were three male table tennis players with level two SCI, and all participants attended a total of eight sessions of PST over a period of 3 months. The PST consisted of self-talk, imagery, cognitive reconstructing, and routine. To examine the effectiveness of mental coaching, the Test of Performance Strategies questionnaire was administered over three different periods of time: pre-PST, post-PST, and postcompetition. Pre- and posttest outcomes indicated that there were positive changes in self-talk, emotional control, and goal setting of athletes with SCI. With the exception of relaxation, Athlete 1 was able to maintain and use all of the improved mental skills in Paralympic competitions. However, although the mental skills of the athletes 2 and 3 generally improved, they were not able to take full advantage of these improvements in Paralympic competitions. PST can be developed and effectively utilized by athletes with SCI. Disability-specific issues should be considered to provide a better intervention program.

Case Study of Mental Skills Training for a Taekwondo Olympian.

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of systematic mental skills training (MST) for a taekwondo gold medallist. Based on MST of other sports, this programme was designed for a single subject who competed in the Olympics. The Korean test of performance strategies, Sport Attributional Style in Korean Athletes, and a few sessions of interviews were applied to investigate the effect of MST. The pre and post-test mean scores of both the Korean test of performance strategies and Sport Attributional Style in Korean Athletes were compared. Interviews recorded the athlete's psychological characteristics. Excluding the 'activation' variable, all of the psychological skills, e.g. self-talk (4.25-5), emotional control (3.75-4.5), automaticity (3.75-4.25), goal setting (4.5-5), imagery (4.25-5), negative thinking (3.25-4.75), anxiety management (4.5-5), and physical and mental condition (4.5-5) improved. MST is believed to have helped the athlete succeed.

Resultant linear acceleration of an instrumented head form does not differ between junior and collegiate taekwondo athletes' kicks.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of various taekwondo kicks and age (school level) in absolute terms and relative body mass on the resultant linear acceleration (RLA) of an instrumented head form. METHODS: Forty-eight male (middle school: 16; high school: 16; university: 16) taekwondo athletes were recruited for this study. Subjects performed 10 turning, 10 jump spinning hook, and 10 jump back kicks on a Hybrid II head mounted on a height-adjustable frame. RESULTS: A 2-way (School × Kick) MANOVA was used to determine the differences in RLA between schools (age groups) by type of kick. There was no univariate School main effect for absolute RLA (η 2 = 0.06) and RLA relative to body mass (η 2 = 0.06). No univariate Kick main effects were found for absolute (η 2 = 0.06) and relative RLA (η 2 = 0.06). CONCLUSION: It is of concern that RLA did not significantly differ between school levels, implying that young taekwondo athletes generate similar forces to their adult counterparts, possibly exposing young athletes to an increased risk for head injuries.