An initial investigation into the mental health difficulties in athletes who experience choking under pressure.

This study aims to determine the frequency of choking under pressure (i.e., choking) and quantify the prevalence of psychological and behavioural consequences of choking. 165 current and retired athletes (over 18 years old) from various sporting levels completed an online survey that asked about demographics, the frequency of choking, and the psychological (e.g., negative feelings toward sport, passion/enjoyment of sport negatively affected, and suicidal ideation) and behavioural (e.g., missing/skipping sport temporarily, dropping out/quitting sport, and maladaptive, risky behaviour) effects of choking. Descriptive statistics on choking frequency indicated 127 (77%) athletes in this sample experienced choking in the last year of playing their sport, and, on average, "choked" 18.25 times during that year. Of the 65 athletes currently playing sport, 36 (55.4%) experienced choking in the past month. Furthermore, 39.4% and 7.1% of athletes in this sample did not achieve higher levels of competition and had suicidal thoughts due to choking, respectively. High-performance athletes in the current sample were more likely to engage in maladaptive behaviours after choking compared to low-performance athletes. Choking more negatively affected the passion/enjoyment for sport of currently playing (i.e., excluding all retired) high-performance than currently playing low-performance athletes. This seminal study crudely quantifies the frequency of choking in athletes, but more importantly provides crucial evidence of the psychological and behavioural consequences of choking and advocates for further research into choking and athlete mental health.

Temporal samples of visual information guides skilled interception.

This study investigated whether performance of an interceptive skill requires an intact visual-perception-action cycle. Eleven skilled male Australian rules football athletes (Mage = 17.54, SD = 0.15) were recruited from an elite developmental pathway squad for a within-subject study. Participants were required to kick a ball directly at a goal from a 20-meter distance while wearing a pair of stroboscopic glasses. The glasses were used to create four vision conditions. Condition one kept intact the visual-perception-action cycle with uninterrupted vision of the motor skill. Three other conditions included stroboscopic vision that presented temporal samples of vision, which interrupted the perception-action cycle through progressive increases to intermittent vision occlusion of the motor skill. Goal kick error of ball position relative to a central target line within the goal and number of successful goals kicked were measured. Written report of internal and external focus of attention was also measured after each vision condition. Generalized estimating equation analysis did not reveal a significant decrement in kick target error, nor accuracy of goals scored, across normal to stroboscopic vision conditions. Performance was maintained despite a shift in attention focus from external to internal across normal to stroboscopic vision conditions. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for the visual regulation of skilled interceptive actions.

"I Just Know if I Keep Going, I'll End Up Hating Nursing." Lived Experiences of Emergency Nurses Three Years Into the Global COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: As the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic continues globally, the personal and professional pressure on health care workers continues to accumulate. Literature suggests that as the pandemic evolves, nurses are experiencing increased levels of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, ultimately leading them to voice intentions to leave the profession, if they have not done so already. METHODS: Informed by an interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological approach, this longitudinal study was designed to capture how the lived experiences of 9 emergency nurses evolved over the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, highlighting their feelings, attitudes, and perceptions toward working in the emergency department at this time in history. Interviews were undertaken in June 2022 and were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: Data analysis resulted in a total of 2 major themes and 8 minor themes. The 2 major themes included "exposed wounds" and "Band-Aid solutions." Levels of burnout increased during the pandemic, with most of the emergency nurse participants dropping their hours, moving roles within the profession, or leaving the profession entirely. Findings elucidate where and how concerns may arise in clinical practice and holistic well-being among emergency nurses, particularly surrounding professional boundaries and protecting work-life balance and professional identity. DISCUSSION: As the world moves to managing coronavirus disease 2019 as a recognized common respiratory illness, providing time and space for emergency nurses to voice their concerns, design their well-being interventions, set professional boundaries, and reconnect with their professional passion may see lower attrition rates and higher levels of professional satisfaction in emergency nurses globally.

Examining Single Session Peer-Teaching Instructional Approaches on Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers' Throwing Techniques.

An important role of a Physical Education (PE) teacher is to assist students to develop the fundamental motor skills (FMS) that will allow them to participate in physical activities with competence and confidence. Thus, PE teachers require the knowledge and skills to carry out this crucial task. In the crowded curricula of Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programs, there are limited opportunities for pre-service PE teachers to learn how to analyze and perform a large list of motor skills. Our purposes in this study were to determine whether a single session peer-teaching intervention could improve pre-service PE teachers' short-term non-dominant hand overarm throwing performances and to examine these students' perceptions of the interventions. We allocated 47 pre-service PE teaching students (24 males; 23 females) to one of three experimental groups: a Video Analysis Group (VAG; n = 17), a Verbal Group (VG; n = 19), and a Control Group (CG; n = 11), based on the class in which they were enrolled. VAG and VG participants worked with a partner of their choice in reciprocal peer-teaching to improve each other's non-dominant hand throwing technique. VAG and VG interventions were identical except that VAG participants accessed video analysis technology. CG participants completed unrelated course work that involved no overarm throwing activities. A single 20-minute session of peer teaching with video analysis feedback during practice led to rapid enhancements in non-dominant hand overarm throwing skills. While all three groups improved their performance by retention testing, participants in the VAG group improved most quickly. Participants in both the VAG and VG groups reported that their respective interventions improved their throwing and Qualitative Movement Diagnosis (QMD) skills. Based on these results, we suggest that PETE programs integrate peer-teaching and video analysis sessions into fundamental movement courses to accelerate students' motor skill acquisitions.

"I Don't Really Wanna Go Back. I Know What I've Got in Front of Me." Lived Experiences of Emergency Nurses 2 Years Into the Global COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: As the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic continued into 2021 and beyond, unrelenting work pressures continued to mount on the emergency nursing workforce. In the second year of this longitudinal study on emergency nurse lived experiences, staff outlined the continued strain of the profession, highlighting their increasing levels of burnout and identifying early stages of trauma response. METHODS: This research aimed to continue to explore lived experiences of Australian emergency nurses working on the frontline 2 years into the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. A qualitative research design was used, guided by an interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological approach. A total of 9 Victorian emergency nurses from both regional and metropolitan hospitals were interviewed between October and November 2021. Analysis was undertaken using a thematic analysis method. RESULTS: A total of 3 major themes and 12 subthemes were extracted from the data. The 3 overarching themes included "On the floor each day," "Can I keep going?" and "What's around the corner?" Increasing levels of emotional exhaustion and burnout were evident, with emergency nurses stating their intentions to leave the profession. DISCUSSION: Deep engagement with participant emergency nurses across 2 years of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has revealed a need for greater emphasis on staff well-being for future maintenance of a resilient and healthy workforce. Without this, lack of support for subsequent nursing cohorts may affect the quality and reliability of care being provided in acute care centers.

Disordered Social Media Use during COVID-19 Predicts Perceived Stress and Depression through Indirect Effects via Fear of COVID-19.

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global threat that can have an adverse effect on an individuals' physical and mental health. Here, we investigate if disordered social media use predicts user stress and depression symptoms indirectly via fear of COVID-19. A total of 359 (timepoint 1 = 171, timepoint 2 = 188) participants were recruited via social media and snowball sampling. They completed an online survey that measured disordered social media use, fear of COVID-19, perceived stress, and depression symptomatology at two cross-sectional timepoints. We found that disordered social media use predicts depression indirectly through fear of COVID-19 at both timepoints. We also found that disordered social media use predicts perceived stress indirectly through fear of COVID-19, but only at timepoint 1. Taken together with previous research, our findings indicate that disordered social media use may lead to increased fear of COVID-19, which in turn may lead to poorer psychological wellbeing outcomes. Overall, there is evidence that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the physical, psychological, and emotional health of individuals worldwide. Moreover, this impact may be exacerbated by disordered use of social media.

"If I Can't Do It, Who Will?" Lived Experiences of Australian Emergency Nurses During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 180,000 health care workers have died in the fight against COVID-19. Emergency nurses have experienced relentless pressure in maintaining the health and well-being of their patients, often to their detriment. METHODS: This research aimed to gain an understanding of lived experiences of Australian emergency nurses working on the frontline during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research design was used, guided by an interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological approach. A total of 10 Victorian emergency nurses from both regional and metropolitan hospitals were interviewed between September and November 2020. Analysis was undertaken using a thematic analysis method. RESULTS: A total of 4 major themes were produced from the data. The 4 overarching themes included mixed messages, changes to practice, living through a pandemic, and 2021: here we come. DISCUSSION: Emergency nurses have been exposed to extreme physical, mental, and emotional conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A greater emphasis on the mental and emotional well-being of frontline workers is paramount to the success of maintaining a strong and resilient health care workforce.

Understanding Fear after an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis Using the Common-Sense Model.

Fear is a significant factor affecting successful return to sport following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. However, there is a lack of understanding of the emotional drivers of fear and how fear beliefs are formed. This study qualitatively explored the contextual and emotional underpinnings of fear and how these beliefs were formed, with reference to the Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation. Face-to-face online interviews were conducted with ACL-injured participants (n = 18, 72% female) with a mean age of 28 years (range 18-50 years). Participants were either 1 year post ACL reconstruction surgery (n = 16) or at least 1 year post injury without surgery (n = 2) and scored above average on a modified Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia. Four participants were playing state-level sport or higher. Five themes emerged describing factors contributing to fear: 'External messages', 'Difficulty of the ACL rehabilitation journey', 'Threat to identity and independence', 'Socioeconomic factors', and 'Ongoing psychological barriers'. A sixth theme, 'Positive coping strategies', provided insight into influences that could reduce fear and resolve negative behaviors. This study identified a broad range of contextual biopsychosocial factors which contribute to fear, supporting the notion that ACL injuries should not be treated through a purely physical lens. Furthermore, aligning the themes to the common-sense model provided a conceptual framework conveying the inter-related, emergent nature of the identified themes. The framework provides clinicians with a means to understanding fear after an ACL injury. This could guide assessment and patient education.

Exploring the experiences of frontline nurses during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic: An integrated literature review.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of frontline nurses caring for patients during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: The JBI manual for evidence synthesis and the PRISMA guidelines for reporting. DATA SOURCES: CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PsycINFO (EBSCO) and Scopus (Elsevier). REVIEW METHODS: The JBI Mixed Methods Data Extraction Tool following a Convergent Integrated Approach. RESULTS: Nineteen studies were included in the review, comprising eight countries and 2525 frontline nurses. Six themes emerged encompassing frontline nurses' COVID-19 experiences including emotional experiences, physical symptoms, ethical and moral challenges, professional impact, risk factors for negative emotional experiences and protective factors for future pandemic events. CONCLUSION: Frontline nurses have faced numerous challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing frontline nurses with the required resources and support to perform their roles in global healthcare crises allows for an empowered and resilient workforce ensuring nurses remain in their chosen profession.

An Investigation of the Nature of Fear within ACL-Injured Subjects When Exposed to Provocative Videos: A Concurrent Qualitative and Quantitative Study.

Fear is a factor contributing to poor return to sport after an anterior cruciate (ACL) injury, however the identification and assessment of fear is challenging. To improve understanding of fear, this study qualitatively and quantitatively assessed responses to videos depicting threat to knee stability in people who had experienced an ACL injury. ACL-injured participants who had above average fear on the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia and were at least 1-year post-injury/surgery were eligible. Participants were shown four videos depicting sequentially increasing threat to their knee stability (running, cut-and-pivot, feigned knee injury during cut-and-pivot, series of traumatic knee injuries). Qualitative interviews explored participants feeling related to viewing the videos. Participants quantitatively self-rated fear and distress in response to each video. Seventeen participants were included in this study (71% female, with an average time since last ACL injury of 5 ½ years). Five themes were identified: (1) Evoked physiological responses, (2) Deeper contextualisation of the meaning of an ACL injury influencing bodily confidence, (3) Recall of psychological difficulties, (4) Negative implications of a re-injury, and (5) Change to athletic identity. Quantitatively, direct proportionality was noticed between threat level and reported fear and distress. Specifically, participants reported increasing levels of fear and distress as the videos progressed in threat level, with the largest increase seen between a cut-and-pivot movement to a feigned injury during a cut and pivot. The results support the notion that in addition to being a physical injury, an ACL injury has more complex neurophysiological, psychological, and social characteristics which should be considered in management. Using video exposure in the clinic may assist identification of underlying psychological barriers to recovery following an ACL injury, facilitating person-centred care.

Burnout, stress and resilience of an Australian regional hospital during COVID-19: a longitudinal study.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed huge strain on hospital staff around the world. The aim of the current longitudinal study was to investigate the resilience, stress and burnout of hospital staff located at a large, regional hospital in Victoria, Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic over time via cross-sectional surveys. The surveys were disseminated six times from August 2020 to March 2021, with the first three data collection points distributed during a state-wide lockdown. A total of 558 responses from various professional roles within the hospital over the survey period were included in the sample. Analysis of variance indicated significant main effects for the psychological variables across time, age, and workload. Hospital staff reported an increase in burnout levels throughout the eight-months. Significant negative relationships were observed between resilience and burnout, and between resilience and stress. A backward regression highlighted the contribution of resilience, stress, age, and nursing roles on burnout. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that resilience contributed to the stress-burnout relationship. This study strengthens the evidence between resilience and burnout among healthcare workers and hospital staff and highlights the need for psychological wellbeing programs to be implemented for hospital staff impacted by a prolonged worldwide pandemic.

Buffering the Fear of COVID-19: Social Connectedness Mediates the Relationship between Fear of COVID-19 and Psychological Wellbeing.

Social connections are crucial for an individual's health, wellbeing, and overall effective functioning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, one major preventative effort for reducing the spread of COVID-19 involved restricting people's typical social interactions through physical distancing and isolation. The current cross-sectional study, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, explored the relationship among fear of COVID-19, social connectedness, resilience, depressive symptomologies, and self-perceived stress. Participants (N = 174) completed an anonymous, online questionnaire, and results indicated that social connectedness mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and psychological wellbeing. In contrast, the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and psychological wellbeing was not mediated by resilience. These findings highlight the important role that social connections and resilience play in buffering against negative psychological wellbeing outcomes, especially during a pandemic.

Investigating cumulative effects of pre-performance routine interventions in beach volleyball serving.

Pre-performance routines (PPRs) can be used in certain sports to minimize the effects of choking under pressure. This study aimed to investigate the cumulative effectiveness of PPR interventions on the accuracy of beach volleyball serves. Fifty-four beach volleyball players were randomly assigned to one of three PPR intervention groups or a control group. Participants performed 10 serves at a target on the opposite side of the beach volleyball court (pretest), were educated on a PPR intervention, and then completed 10 serves at the target under pressure that was induced through videotaping and ego-relevant instructions (posttest). The results indicated no difference in post-test serving accuracy among the intervention groups and the wait-list control group and no difference in effectiveness between cumulative and isolated PPR use. A possible explanation may be the inefficiency of the pressure manipulation. However, the null results related to isolated and cumulative PPR use under general (i.e., no pressure) conditions are still an important research finding. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of cumulative and other PPRs in other sports in general and under pressure.

Aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise are equivalent to mitigate symptoms of depression in older adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Background: Exercise has been identified as an allied health strategy that can support the management of depression in older adults, yet the relative effectiveness for different exercise modalities is unknown. To meet this gap in knowledge, we present a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to examine the head-to-head effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise to mitigate depressive symptoms in adults aged ≥ 65 years. Methods: A PRISMA-NMA compliant review was undertaken on RCTs from inception to September 12 th, 2019. PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus were systematically searched for eligible RCTs enrolling adults with a mean age ≥ 65 years, comparing one or more exercise intervention arms, and which used valid measures of depressive symptomology. Comparative effectiveness was evaluated using network meta-analysis to combine direct and indirect evidence, controlling for inherent variation in trial control groups. Results: The systematic review included 82 RCTs, with 69 meeting eligibility for the network meta-analysis ( n = 5,379 participants). Pooled analysis found each exercise type to be effective compared with controls (Hedges' g = -0.27 to -0.51). Relative head-to-head comparisons were statistically comparable between exercise types: resistance versus aerobic (Hedges' g = -0.06, PrI = -0.91, 0.79), mind-body versus aerobic (Hedges' g = -0.12, PrI = -0.95, 0.72), mind-body versus resistance (Hedges' g = -0.06, PrI = -0.90, 0.79). High levels of compliance were demonstrated for each exercise treatment. Conclusions: Aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise demonstrate equivalence to mitigate symptoms of depression in older adults aged ≥ 65 years, with comparably encouraging levels of compliance to exercise treatment. These findings coalesce with previous findings in clinically depressed older adults to encourage personal preference when prescribing exercise for depressive symptoms in older adults. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42018115866 (23/11/2018).

Comparative effectiveness of three exercise types to treat clinical depression in older adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have directly compared the effects of different exercise therapies on clinical depression in older adults. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of current evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the effectiveness of three major exercise types (aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise) in clinically depressed older adults. METHODS: We followed PRISMA-NMA guidelines and searched databases for eligible RCTs (inception - September 12th, 2019). RCTs were eligible if they included clinically depressed adults aged >65 years, implemented one or more exercise therapy arms using aerobic, resistance, or mind-body exercise, and assessed depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up using a validated clinical questionnaire. RESULTS: A network meta-analysis was performed on 15 eligible RCTs comprising 596 participants (321 treatment and 275 controls), including aerobic (n = 6), resistance (n = 5), and mind-body (n = 4) exercise trials. Compared with controls, mind-body exercise showed the largest improvement on depressive symptoms (g = -0.87 to -1.38), followed by aerobic exercise (g = -0.51 to -1.02), and resistance exercise (g = -0.41 to -0.92). Notably, there were no statistically significant differences between exercise types: aerobic versus resistance (g = -0.10, PrI = -2.23, 2.03), mind-body versus aerobic (g = -0.36, PrI = -2.69, 1.97), or mind-body versus resistance (g = -0.46, PrI = -2.75, 1.83). CONCLUSIONS: These findings should guide optimal exercise prescription for allied health professionals and stakeholders in clinical geriatrics. Notably, clinically depressed older adults may be encouraged to self-select their preferred exercise type in order to achieve therapeutic benefit on symptoms of depression. In coalition with high levels of compliance, these data provide encouraging evidence for the antidepressant effect of either aerobic, resistance, or mind-body exercise as effective treatment adjucts for older adults presenting with clinical depression.

Exercise, Mood, Self-Efficacy, and Social Support as Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: Direct and Interaction Effects.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a chronic condition that affects up to 15% of older adults. The healthogenic effects of regular exercise are well established, but it is still unclear which exercise-related variables characterise the antidepressant effects of exercise. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which exercise-related variables (exercise behaviour, exercise-induced mood, exercise self-efficacy, and social support) can predict depressive symptoms in a cohort of community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional analysis of questionnaire data from a sample of 586 community-dwelling older Australians aged 65 to 96 years old. Participants completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, modified CHAMPS Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Adults, Four-Dimension Mood Scale, Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale, and Social Provisions Scale - Short Form. Bivariate correlations were performed, and hierarchical multiple regression was subsequently used to test the regression model. RESULTS: Exercise behaviour, exercise-induced mood, exercise self-efficacy, and social support were all negatively associated with depressive symptoms (r = -0.20 to -0.56). When the variables were entered as predictors into the hierarchical multiple regression model, social support was the strongest predictor of depressive symptoms (ß = -0.42), followed by exercise-induced mood (ß = -0.23), and exercise self-efficacy (ß = -0.07). Exercise behaviour did not explain any additional variance in depressive symptoms. A modest interaction effect was also observed between exercise-induced mood and social support. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that social support is the strongest predictor of depressive symptomology in community-dwelling older adults, particularly when combined with positive exercise-induced mood states. When addressing the needs of older adults at risk of depression, healthcare professionals should consider the implementation of exercise programmes that are likely to benefit older adults by improving mood, enhancing self-efficacy, and building social support.

When You Watch Your Team Fall Apart - Coaches' and Sport Psychologists' Perceptions on Causes of Collective Sport Team Collapse.

Collective team collapse occurs when multiple players of a sport team experience a sudden and extreme underperformance within a game and are unable to return to their initial performance level. The occurrence of such a team collapse event commonly leads to the loss of the game or championship. A recent study investigated athletes' perceptions of the phenomenon and proposed a process model of causes of collective sport team collapse. The main goal of this study was to apply this process model to the data collected from coaches and sport psychologists. A further goal was to explore differences in perceptions of causes of team collapse among athletes, coaches, and sport psychologists of various professional German sport teams. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate seven coaches' and four sport psychologists' perceptions. Following an abductive approach, a deductive content analysis was used to explore if the data supported the process model of collective sport team collapse. Perceived antecedents and critical events causing team collapse were similar among the three participant groups. Coaches and sport psychologists differed from athletes in their perception of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes of team collapse. Coaches tended to report behavioral factors, such as immobility or the blaming of other players, as critical factors maintaining team collapse. Sport psychologists reported cognitive factors, such as individualization or a lack of accountability between the players, to be relevant for team collapse maintenance. Overall, the data of this study supported the general structure of the process model of collective sport team collapse; however, minor amendments to the temporal cascade of causes of team collapse are introduced. Future research is encouraged to examine this model, to provide guidance to teams, coaches, and sport psychologists in dealing with collective sport team collapse.

An Investigation Into Handedness and Choking Under Pressure in Sport.

When athletes fail to perform at an expected level during an important moment, it is implied the athletes have experienced "choking" (sudden decline in performance) under pressure.". Researchers have reported that persistent left-hemispheric activation patterns occur when an athlete experiences considerable performance deteriorations under pressure. Researchers have also observed differences in brain activation patterns between left- and right-handed people on a variety of physical and cognitive tests, with the left-hemispheric activation more pronounced in right-handed participants. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether athletes' handedness may be linked to choking susceptibility (i.e., likelihood to experience performance decline under pressure). METHOD: Twenty right-handed and 13 left-handed experienced Australian football players completed 15 shot attempts, in both a low-pressure and a high-pressure condition. Both groups displayed equal state anxiety increases due to the pressure manipulation, indicating similar increases in anxiety in both handedness groups. RESULTS: Differences were indicated in performance between the left- and right-handed groups during the high-pressure condition, with the left-handed group maintaining, and the right-handed participants declining, performance. CONCLUSION: Future electroencephalogram (EEG) research investigating this link may clarify the effect between handedness and choking.

When Suddenly Nothing Works Anymore Within a Team - Causes of Collective Sport Team Collapse.

Collective team collapse occurs when multiple players of a sport team experience a sudden and extreme underperformance within a game. To date, minimal research has been conducted on the causes of collective team collapse. Thus, goals of this study were to explore perceived causes of collective team collapse in different sports and to define team collapse in contrast to negative momentum. To investigate factors causing and maintaining collective sport team collapse, an inductive, exploratory qualitative analysis of individual interviews was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 athletes of professional German teams of various sports playing in between first and fourth division. Participants were interviewed about a team collapse event they had experienced with their team during the past year. Data were collected and analyzed using a grounded theory methodology. Collective team collapse appeared to be induced by a temporal cascade of causes rather than by single triggers. This cascade included antecedents, which represent factors that make the occurrence of a team collapse more likely; critical events, which include specific events within the game that trigger a team collapse; as well as affective, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes that foster a maintenance of the collapse. Within this theoretical framework, social factors, such as decreased performance contagion or emotional contagion, played crucial roles in causing a team collapse. These results illustrate that collective team collapse is more than the sum of individual choking of multiple players at the same time. In conclusion, a new definition, differentiating team collapse from negative momentum, is introduced. Furthermore, a process model of causes of collective team collapse is proposed. The results provide first insights into causes of collective collapse in a variety of team sports. The developed model is supposed to help future research to better connect to practice and to support athletes, coaches, and sport psychologists.

Video-based training to improve perceptual-cognitive decision-making performance of Australian football umpires.

Decision-making is a central component of the in-game performance of Australian football umpires; however, current umpire training focuses largely on physiological development with decision-making skills development conducted via explicit lecture-style meetings with limited practice devoted to making actual decisions. Therefore, this study investigated the efficacy of a video-based training programme, aimed to provide a greater amount of contextualised visual experiences without explicit instruction, to improve decision-making skills of umpires. Australian football umpires (n = 52) were recruited from metropolitan and regional Division 1 competitions. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group and classified according to previous umpire game experience (i.e., experienced; less experienced). The intervention group completed a 12-week video-based decision-making training programme, with decision-making performance assessed at pre-training, and 1-week retention and 3-week retention periods. The control group did not complete any video-based training. Results indicated a significant Group (intervention; Control) × Test interaction (F(1, 100) = 3.98; P = 0.02, partial ῆ2 = 0.074), with follow-up pairwise comparisons indicating significant within-group differences over time for the intervention group. In addition, decision-making performance of the less experienced umpires in the intervention group significantly improved (F(2, 40) = 5.03, P = 0.01, partial ῆ2 = 0.201). Thus, video-based training programmes may be a viable adjunct to current training programmes to hasten decision-making development, especially for less experienced umpires.