Is positive thinking in anticipation of a performance situation better than distraction? An experimental study in preadolescents.

The current study compares the effects of experimentally induced positive anticipatory thinking and distraction in preadolescents aged 12-13. Eighty-seven participants were instructed to either engage in positive anticipatory thoughts or perform a distraction task while preparing to perform a sporting activity in front of their peers. Results revealed that trait social anxiety was associated with more negative estimates of sport performance and catastrophic thoughts relating to the impending sport activity. Additionally, compared to children who distracted, children in the positive anticipation condition showed significantly increased anxiety levels, more catastrophic thoughts and more negative predictions of sport performance and appearance, although these effects did not appear to interact with trait social anxiety. Finally, no significant manipulation effect on participants' observable behavior was found. The findings further highlight the utility of distracting from an impending, anxiety-provoking situation to keep anxious feelings to a low level.

Características psicológicas que influyen en las lesiones deportivas de triatletas amateurs de Yucatán, México / Características psicológicas que influem nas lesões desportivas de triatletas amadores de Yucatán, México / Psychological characteristics that influence sports injuries of amateur triathletes from Yucatan, Mexico

El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar las relaciones entre las características psicológicas con las lesiones deportivas en triatletas amateurs de Yucatán, México. Se aplicaron los siguientes instrumentos: Inventario Psicológico de Ejecución Deportiva (IPED), Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), Cuestionario de Percepción de las causas de las Lesiones en el Triatleta (CPELT) y Autoinforme de características del entrenamiento y de lesiones. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 50 triatletas, 33 hombres (66%) y 17 mujeres (34%) con una media de edad de 24.47 en un rango de 15 a 48 años. Se encontraron relaciones significativas del número de lesiones con factores del IPED y del CPELT. Además la ansiedad competitiva, el control de afrontamiento negativo del IPED y el factor de medidas preventivas del CPELT obtuvieron un mejor valor de predicción para las lesiones deportivas (AU)

The aim of this research was to analyze the relation between the psychological characteristics with the sport injuries in amateur triathletes from Yucatan, Mexico. The next instruments were applied: Psychological Inventory of Sports Performance (IPED), Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), Questionnaire of Perceived causes of Injuries in Triathletes (CPELT) and Self-report of training and injuries features. The sample was composed of 50 triathletes, 33 men (66%) and 17 women (34%) with a mean age of 24.47 in a range of 15 to 48 years. Significant relationships were found in the number of sport injuries with IPED and CPELT factors. Furthermore, the competitive anxiety, coping negative control from IPED and prevention measures factor from CPELT gained a better predictive value for sports injuries (AU)

O objectivo deste trabalho foi analisar as relações entre as características psicológicas e as lesões desportivas em triatletas amadores de Yucatán, México. Foram aplicados os seguintes instrumentos: Inventário Psicológico de Execução Desportiva (IPED), Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), Questionário de Percepção das causas das Lesões desportivas em Triatletas (QPELT) e um questionário individual de características de treino e de lesões. A amostra foi composta por 50 triatletas, 33 homens (66%) e 17 mulheres (34%) com uma média de idades de 24.47 compreendidas entre os 15 e os 48 anos. Verificaram-se relações significativas entre o número de lesões e os factores do IPED e do QPELT. Adicionalmente, a ansiedade competitiva, o controlo de coping negativo do IPED e o factor medidas preventivas do QPELT obtiveram um melhor valor preditivo para as lesões desportivas (AU)

Distonía del músico: fenomenología y desencadenantes vinculados a la ejecución musical / Focal dystonia in musicians: Phenomenology and musical triggering factors

Las distonías se definen como una contracción conjunta, sostenida e involuntaria de músculos agonistas y antagonistas, que puede causar torsión, movimientos involuntarios anormales repetitivos y/o posturas anormales. Un grupo especial de distonías son las conocidas como ocupacionales, que incluyen trastornos distónicos desencadenados por una actividad motora repetitiva, relacionada con la actividad profesional o tarea específica. Los músicos son una población especialmente vulnerable a este tipo de distonías que se presentan como una pérdida de coordinación y control motor voluntario de movimientos altamente entrenados en la interpretación musical. Nuestro objetivo es describir una serie clínica de distonías focales en músicos evaluados y tratados en nuestro centro. Pacientes y métodos: Se presentan los datos de una serie clínica de 12 músicos con distonía ocupacional; se describen sus antecedentes y fenomenología, así como su evolución después de de la terapia. Resultados: Antecedentes demográficos: edad promedio 34,8 ± 11,8 años, 10 hombres (83,3%) y 2 mujeres (16,7%). Antecedentes médicos: antecedentes traumáticos en segmento distónico, 6 pacientes (50%); antecedentes familiares de enfermedades neurológicas en parientes de primer grado, 6 pacientes (50%); antecedentes laborales según categoría musical, 8 pacientes (66,6%) eran músicos clásicos y 4 pacientes (33,3%) eran músicos populares. Fenomenología: El cuadro distónico se caracterizó por presentarse a una edad promedio de inicio de 28,2 ± 11,3 años (rango 18-57 años). En 11 pacientes el segmento afectado fue la mano (91,7%). De todos los músicos consultados, un total de 9 (75%) recibió terapia. En la mayoría de los pacientes se describen desencadenantes específicos de la ejecución musical, asociados a requerimientos de control motor fino. Cabe mencionar que el 50% de los músicos tratados mantuvo su actividad laboral o puesto en la orquesta a la que pertenecía. Conclusiones: La mayoría de nuestros hallazgos fenomenológicos son coherentes con la literatura actualmente disponible. Sin embargo, nos parece destacable la presencia de desencadenantes atribuibles a requerimientos específicos de la ejecución musical, ligados a la participación del control motor fino

Dystonias are defined as a joint sustained and involuntary contraction of agonist and antagonist muscles, which can cause torsion, repetitive abnormal involuntary movements, and/or abnormal postures. One special group of dystonias are those known as occupational, which include dystonia disorders triggered by a repetitive motor activity associated with a specific professional activity or task. Musicians are a population particularly vulnerable to these types of dystonia, which are presented as a loss of coordination and voluntary motor control movements highly trained in musical interpretation. Our aim is to describe a clinical series of focal dystonias in musicians evaluated and treated in our centre. Patients and methods: Data is presented on a clinical series of 12 musicians with occupational dystonia. Their history and phenomenology are described, as well as well as their outcome after therapy. Results: Demographic details: Mean age 34.8 ± 11.8 years, 10 males (83.3%) and 2 females (16.7%). Clinical history: History of trauma in dystonic segment, 6 patients (50%); family history of neurological diseases in first-degree relatives, 6 patients (50%); occupational history according to music category, 8 patients (66.6%) were classical musicians and 4 patients (33.3%) were popular musicians. Phenomenology: The dystonia syndrome was characterised by having a mean age of onset of 28.2 ± 11.3 years (range 18-57 years). The segment affected was the hand (91.7%) in 11patients. Of all the musicians seen in the clinic, 9 of them (75%) received therapy. The majority of patients appeared to have triggering factors specific to musical execution and linked to the requirement of fine motor control. It should be mentioned that 50% of the musicians treated maintained their professional activity or position in the orchestra to which they belonged. Conclusions: The majority of our phenomenological findings are consistent with those reported in the current literature. However, it is worth mentioning the presence of triggering factors attributed to the specific requirements of performing music, linked to the participation of fine motor control

Yoga reduces performance anxiety in adolescent musicians.

CONTEXT: Professional musicians often experience high levels of stress, music performance anxiety (MPA), and performance-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). Given the fact that most professional musicians begin their musical training before the age of 12, it is important to identify interventions that will address these issues from an early age. OBJECTIVE: This study intended to replicate and expand upon adult research in this area by evaluating the effects of a yoga intervention on MPA and PRMDs in a population of adolescent musicians. The present study was the first to examine these effects. DESIGN: The research team assigned participants, adolescent musicians, into two groups. The intervention group (n = 84) took part in a 6-wk yoga program, and the control group (n = 51) received no treatment. The team evaluated the effects of the yoga intervention by comparing the scores of the intervention group to those of the control group on a number of questionnaires related to MPA and PRMDs. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI). BUTI is a training academy for advanced adolescent musicians, located in Lenox, Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were adolescent, residential music students (mean age = 16 y) in a 6-wk summer program at the BUTI in 2007 and 2008. INTERVENTION: Participants in the yoga intervention group were requested to attend three, 60-min, Kripalustyle yoga classes each wk for 6 wk. OUTCOME MEASURES: MPA was measured using the Performance Anxiety Questionnaire (PAQ) and the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Adolescents (MPAI-A). PRMDs were measured using the Performance-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire (PRMD-Q). RESULTS • Yoga participants showed statistically significant reductions in MPA from baseline to the end of the program compared to the control group, as measured by several subscales of the PAQ and MPAI-A; however, the results for PRMDs were inconsistent. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that yoga may be a promising way for adolescents to reduce MPA and perhaps even prevent it in the future. These findings also suggest a novel treatment modality that potentially might alleviate MPA and prevent the early disruption and termination of musical careers.

Latent growth curve analysis of fear during a speech task before and after treatment for social phobia.

Models of social phobia highlight the importance of anticipatory anxiety in the experience of fear during a social situation. Anticipatory anxiety has been shown to be highly correlated with performance anxiety for a variety of social situations. A few studies show that average ratings of anxiety during the anticipation and performance phases of a social situation decline following treatment. Evidence also suggests that the point of confrontation with the feared stimulus is the peak level of fear. No study to date has evaluated the pattern of anxious responding across the anticipation, confrontation, and performance phases before and after treatment, which is the focus of the current study. Socially phobic individuals (N = 51) completed a behavioral avoidance task before and after two types of manualized cognitive behavioral therapy, and gave ratings of fear during the anticipation and performance phases. Results from latent growth curve analysis were the same for the two treatments and suggested that before treatment, anxiety sharply increased during the anticipation phase, was highly elevated at the confrontation, and gradually increased during the performance phase. After treatment, anxiety increased during the anticipation phase, although at a much slower rate than at pretreatment, peaked at confrontation, and declined during the performance phase. The findings suggest that anticipatory experiences are critical to the experience of fear for public speaking and should be incorporated into exposures.

The effect of values affirmation on psychological stress.

There is growing evidence for the efficacy of acceptance-based behavioral therapies, which aim to increase acceptance of internal experiences and values-consistent action. Further, experimental studies have demonstrated that acceptance decreases distress and increases willingness to engage in challenging tasks (e.g. Levitt, Brown, Orsillo, & Barlow, 2004). However, research demonstrating the positive effects of values articulation on psychological functioning is needed. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a brief intervention in reducing anxiety related to a stressful speech task. Contrary to predictions, engagement in values writing did not reduce anticipatory or posttask anxiety relative to engagement in a neutral writing task. However, self-esteem significantly predicted anxious response to the task. Experiential avoidance and valued living were also associated with anxious response to the task, although the contribution of these predictors was not statistically significant.