Cognitive Assessment in Behavioral Sport Psychology

Abstract

The contribution of thoughts, emotions, and images to athletic training and competition has long been acknowledged. As Yogi Berra once said about baseball, “90% of this game is half mental” (Baseball Almanac, 2010). Less understood is the manner by which these processes can be formally assessed to guide optimum implementation of evidence-based behavioral intervention. Indeed, as emphasized throughout this book, evidence-based interventions are becoming increasingly utilized by sport psychologists. However, there is often a poor fit between cognitive assessment strategies and performance-enhancing behavioral interventions (Meyers, Whelan, & Murphy, 1996). It is important that students and professionals practicing within the field of sport psychology are familiar with the psychometric support and conceptual basis underlying cognitive assessment methods. Indeed, one of the challenges for professionals who work with athletes and performers is to develop an efficient and evidence-supported method for assessing cognitive constructs that have been historically difficult to fully understand. This chapter, therefore, provides a practical and evidence-based guide that may be used when conducting cognitive assessment in sport psychology consultation. We begin by underscoring commonly used cognitive strategies that have been identified to facilitate optimum sport performance, such as self-talk, imagery, and arousal management. We then review environmental factors that have been found to influence the attitudes and motivational sets of athletes. Lastly, we review our evidence-based approach to cognitive assessment in athletes.