The Difference of Mental Skills in Superior Basketball Players and Gymnasts with Different Levels of Experience

Ali  Nazarian; Sardar  Mohammadi; Mohammad  Maleki

doi:10.4236/oalib.1100591

Mohammad Maleki, Sardar Mohammadi, Ali Nazarian

Abstract: This study aimed to compare mental skills between superior basketball players and gymnasts. Subjects included 161 basketball players (91 experienced: aged 22.47 ± 2.27, and 70 inexperienced, aged 23.13 ± 2.2) and 114 gymnasts (66 experienced; aged 22.77 ± 2.03 and 48 inexperienced, aged 22.79 ± 2.25). The questionnaire used for this study was OMSAT-3 that assessed mental skills in three main categories of foundation mental skills, psychosomatic skills and cognitive skills. Results showed significant differences between elite and sub-elite basketball players and gymnasts in basic mental skills, psychosomatic skills and cognitive skills. These results will help coaches and athletes to improve their performance and consolidate and expand the use of mental skills they need for each competition in closed and open sport skills.

Keywords: Mental Skills, Basketball, Gymnasts, Experience

Cite this paper: Maleki, M. , Mohammadi, S. and Nazarian, A. (2014) The Difference of Mental Skills in Superior Basketball Players and Gymnasts with Different Levels of Experience. Open Access Library Journal, 1, 1-7. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1100591.

References

[1] Weinberg, R.S. and Gould, D. (2007) Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign.

[2] Moritz, S.E., Feltz, D.L., Fahrbach, K.R. and Mack, D.E. (2000) The Relation of Self-Efficacy Measures to Sport Performance: A Meta Analytic Review. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sports, 71, 280-294.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2000.10608908

[3] Williams, J.M. (2001) Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance. 4th Edition, Mayfield Publishing Company, Mountain View.

[4] Cox, R.H. and Liu, Z. (1993) Psychological Skills: A Cross Cultural Investigation. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 24, 326-334.

[5] Taylor, J. (1996) Intensity Regulation and Athletic Performance. In: Van Raalte, J.L. and Brewer, B.W., Eds., Exploring Sport and Exercise Psychology, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 3-24.

[6] Cox, R.H., Liu, Z. and Qiu, Y. (1996) Psychological Skills of Elite Chinese Athletes. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 27, 123-132.

[7] Jones, G. and Hanton, S. (1996) Interpretation of Competitive Anxiety Symptoms and Goal Attainment Expectancies. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 18, 144-157.

[8] Williams, J.M. and Krane, V. (2001) Psychological Characteristics of Peak Performance. In: Williams, J.M., Ed., Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance, May Field Publishing Company, Mountain View, 137-144.

[9] Bush, N.D., Salmela, J.H. and Green-Demers, I. (2000) The Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT-3). The Sport Psychologist, 15, 1-19.

[10] Bota, J.D. (1993) Development of the Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT). Unpublished Master Thesis, University of Ottawa, Ottawa.

[11] Orlick, T. (1996) The Wheel of Excellence. Journal of Performance Education, 1, 3-18.

[12] Landers, D.M. and Boutcher, S.H. (1998) Arousal-Performance Relationships. In: Williams, J.M., Ed., Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance, Mayfield, Mountainview, 197-218.

[13] Meyers, M.C., Bourgeois, A.E., LeUnes, A. and Murray, N.G. (1998) Mood and Psychological Skills of Elite and Sub-Elite Equestrian Athletes. Journal of Sport Behavior, 22, 399-409.

[14] Devonport, T.J. (2006) Perception of the Contribution of Psychology to Success in Elite Kickboxing. Journal of Sport Science and Medicine, 5, 99-107.

[15] Grandjean, D.B., Taylor, A.P. and Weiner, J. (2002) Confidence, Concentration and Competitive Performance of Elite Athletes: A Natural Experiment in Olympic Gymnastics. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 24, 320-327.

[16] Kruger, A. (2010) Sport Psychological Skills That Discriminate between Successful and Less Successful Female University Field Hockey Players. African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance, 16, 239-250.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajpherd.v16i2.55963

[17] Sotoodeh, M.S., Talebi, R., Hemayattalab, R. and Arabameri, E. (2012) Comparison of Selected Mental Skills between Elite and Non-Elite Male and Female Taekwondo Athletes. World Journal of Sport Sciences, 6, 32-38.

[18] Nourbakhsh, P. and Maleki, M. (2005) Comparison of Foundation, Psychosomatic and Cognitive Mental Skills between Team and Individual Male Superior Athletes in Khuzestan and Relationship between Those Skills with Self-Efficacy. Harakat, 23, 125-141.

[19] Ghare, M.A., Keshtidar, M. and Jahangiri, M. (2009) Comparison of Mental Skills, Self-Confidence and Competition Anxiety Interpretation among Open and Closed Skills Athletes. Research in Sport Sciences, 25, 49-66.

[20] Durand-Bush, N., Salmela, J.H. and Green-Demers, I. (2001) The Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT-3). The Sport Psychologist, 15, 1-19.

[21] Monfared, S. (2006) Validating OMSAT-3 Questionnaire and Confirming Effect of Mental Preparation Program on Mental Skills at Athletes Participating Asian Games, Doha-Qatar. Iran Olympic National Committee.

[22] Mallett, C.J. and Hanrahan, S.J. (2004) Elite Athletes: Why Does the “Fire” Burn So Brightly? Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 5, 183-200.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1469-0292(02)00043-2

[23] Fletcher, D. and Hanton, S. (2001) The Relationship between Psychological Skill Usage and Competitive Anxiety Responses. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2, 89-101.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1469-0292(00)00014-5

[24] Craciun, M., Dobosi, S., Popioan, N. and Prodea, C. (2011) A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT-3*)—Romanian Version. Human Movement, 12, 159-164.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/v10038-011-0014-x

[25] Stevenson, M. (1999) The Use of Mental Skills by Male and Female Athletes. UMI, Ann Arbor.

[26] Hardy, L. and Jones, G. (1990) Future Directions for Research into Anxiety in Sport. In: Jones, G. and Hardy, L., Eds., Anxiety and Performance in Sport, Wiley, Chichester, 281-290.

[27] Walpes, S. (2003) Psychological Characteristics of Elite and Non-Elite Level Gymnasts. Doctoral Thesis, Washington State University, Washington DC.

[28] Neil, R., Mellalieu, D.S. and Hanton, S. (2006) Psychological Skills Usage and the Competitive Anxiety Response as a Function of Skill Level in Rugby Union. Journal of Sport Science and Medicine, 5, 415-423.

[29] Martens, R. (1987) Coaches Guide to Sport Psychology. Human Kinetics, Champaign.

[30] Vealy, R.S. (1988) Future Directions in Psychological Skills Training. The Sport Psychologist, 2, 318-336.

[31] Jafari, A., Moradi, M.A. and Rafeenia, P. (2007) Comparison Some of Mental Skills between Female Superior and Inferior Taekwondo Athletes. Olympic, 1, 113-123.