Correlations among focusing attitudes, psychological competitive abilities and public self-consciousness in college athletes

ABSTRACT

Focusing has been used in various fields. However, there are few studies on focusing in the field of sports. Correlations between focusing attitudes and psychological competitive abilities were investigated to provide psychological support for athletes by focusing. Public self-consciousness was considered a parameter mediating between focusing attitudes and psychological competitive abilities. University student-athletes (N = 180; 111 men and 69 women) completed three questionnaires. Path analysis was conducted using covariance structure analysis. Results suggested that focusing attitudes contributed to improving psychological competitive abilities. Regarding the correlation with public self-consciousness, it was predicted that acquiring an attitude of ‘keeping a distance from experiencing (a focusing attitude)’ would reduce anxiety and fear toward evaluation from others, leading to ‘mental stability and concentration (a psychological competitive ability).’ The results indicated that taking an attitude of ‘accepting and acting from experiencing (a focusing attitude),’ contributed to an improvement in ‘self-confidence (a psychological competitive ability),’ leading to positive effects on other factors related to psychological competitive abilities. Based on the above results, it was indicated that acquiring focusing attitudes would increase athletes’ self-confidence and contribute to improvements in overall psychological competitive abilities. The possibility of psychological support for athletes using focusing is suggested.

Corrélations entre les attitudes du focusing, les capacités compétitives psychologiques et la conscience de soi face au public chez les athlètes étudiant en collège.

Le focusing a été appliqué dans des champs très variés. On trouve cependant peu d’études à propos du focusing dans le champ sportif. Des corrélations entre les attitudes du focusing et les capacités compétitives psychologiques ont été étudiées dans l’apport du focusing comme soutien psychologique dispensé à des athlètes. La conscience de soi face au public était considérée comme un paramètre médiateur entre les attitudes de focusing et les capacités compétitives psychologiques. Des athlètes universitaires (N=180; 111 hommes et 69 femmes) ont complété trois questionnaires. Une analyse causale a été conduite selon la méthode d’analyse de la structure de covariance. Les résultats suggèrent que les attitudes de focusing contribuent à accroître les capacités compétitives psychologiques. A l’examen de la corrélation en rapport avec la conscience de soi face au public, il a été possible de prédire que l’acquisition d’une attitude de « maintien d’une distance confortable face à l’experiencing (une attitude de focusing) » pouvait réduire l’anxiété et la peur à l’égard de l’évaluation de la part des autres et conduire à « une stabilité et une concentration mentale (une capacité compétitive psychologique) ». Les résultats indiquent que l’adoption d’une attitude d’acceptation et d’action (une attitude de focusing) contribue à l’amélioration de la « confiance en soi » (une attitude compétitive psychologique) conduisant à des effets positifs sur d’autres facteurs en lien avec les attitudes compétitives psychologiques. Sur base des résultats repris jusqu’ici, il a été indiqué que l’acquisition d’attitudes de focusing peut accroître la confiance en soi des athlètes et contribuer au développement global des capacités psychologiques compétitives. La possibilité d’apporter un support aux athlètes en utilisant le focusing est recommandée.

Korrelationen zwischen Focusing-Haltungen, psychischer Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und öffentlichem Selbstbewusstsein bei College-Studierenden

Focusing wird in verschiedenen Bereichen verwendet. Es gibt jedoch wenig Studien zu Focusing im Bereich des Sports. Korrelationen zwischen Focusing-Haltungen und psychischer Wettbewerbsfähigkeit wurden untersucht, um psychologische Unterstützung für Athleten mit Focusing zu erreichen. Öffentliches Selbstbewusstsein wurde als ein Parameter betrachtet, der zwischen Focusing- Haltungen und psychischer Wettbewerbsfähigkeit vermittelt. Studentische Athleten einer Universität (N=180; 111 Männer und 69 Frauen) füllten drei Fragebögen aus. Pfadanalysen wurden mit einer Kovarianzstrukturanalyse durchgeführt. Die Resultate zeigen, dass Focusing-Haltungen dazu beitragen, psychische Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu verbessern. Betrachtet man die Korrelation mit öffentlichem Selbstbewusstsein, so war die Vorhersage: Wenn man sich ‘eine distanzierte Haltung zum Erleben (eine Focusing-Haltung)’ aneignet, dann reduziert dies Angst und Furcht vor der Bewertung durch andere, was wiederum zu „mentaler Stabilität und Konzentration” (eine psychische Wettbewerbsfähigkeit) führt. Die Resultate deuten darauf hin: Nimmt man eine Haltung des Akzeptierens ein und handelt aus dem Erleben heraus (eine Focusing-Haltung), dann führt dies zu positiven Effekten bezüglich anderer Faktoren, die mit psychischer Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zusammenhängen. Die oben angeführten Resultate weisen darauf hin, dass das Aneignen von Focusing-Haltungen das Selbstbewusstsein von Athleten steigert und insgesamt zu Verbesserungen führt, was die psychische Wettbewerbsfähigkeit angeht. Focusing ist eine Möglichkeit psychologischer Unterstützung für Athleten.

Correlações entre atitudes de Focusing, competências psicológicas de competitividade e tomada de consciência pública em atletas universitários

O focusing tem sido usado em diversos campos. Contudo, há poucos estudos sobre focusing no campo do desporto. São investigadas as correlações entre as atitudes de focusing e as competências psicológicas de competitividade, com vista a fornecer apoio a atletas universitários com recurso ao focusing. Os atletas-estudantes universitários (N=180; 111 homens e 69 mulheres) responderam a três questionários. A análise das dependências foi levada a cabo com recurso a uma análise da estrutura de covariância. Os resultados sugerem que as atitudes de focusing contribuem para melhorar as competências psicológicas de competitividade. No que diz respeito à correlação com a tomada de consciência pública, previu-se que adquirir uma atitude de ‘manter a distância em relação à experienciação (uma atitude de focusing)’ reduziria a ansiedade e o medo da avaliação dos outros, o que conduziria a uma ‘estabilidade mental e concentração’ (uma competência psicológica de competitividade). Os resultados indicam que tomar uma atitude de ‘aceitação e agir de acordo com a experiência (uma atitude de focusing)’, contribuem para uma melhoria na ‘autoconfiança (uma competência psicológica de competitividade’, conduzindo a efeitos positivos noutros fatores relacionados com competências psicológicas de competitividade. Com base nos resultados anteriores, propôe-se que a aquisição de atitudes de focusing aumentariam a autoconfiança dos atletas e contribuiriam para melhorias nas competências gerais de competitividade psicológica. Sugere-se a possibilidade de providenciar apoio baseado no focusing aos atletas.

Correlaciones entre actitudes de Focusing, habilidades psicológicas competitivas y autoconciencia pública en atletas universitarios

Focusing se ha utilizado en varios campos. Sin embargo, hay pocos estudios sobre el Focusing en el campo de los deportes. Las correlaciones entre las actitudes del Focusing y las habilidades competitivas psicológicas se investigaron para proporcionar apoyo psicológico a los atletas mediante el Focusing. La autoconciencia pública fue considerada un parámetro que mediaba entre las actitudes del Focusing y las habilidades psicológicas competitivas. Estudiantes universitarios-atletas (N = 180; 111 hombres y 69 mujeres) completaron tres cuestionarios. El análisis de la trayectoria se realizó utilizando el análisis covalente de la estructura. Los resultados sugieren que las actitudes del Focusing contribuyeron a mejorar las habilidades psicológicas competitivas. Con respecto a la correlación con la autoconciencia pública, se predijo que adquirir una actitud de “mantener una distancia del experiencing (una actitud del Focusing)” reduciría la ansiedad y el temor hacia la evaluación de otros, conduciendo a “estabilidad mental y concentración (una habilidad psicológica competitiva.) “. Los resultados indicaron que tomar una actitud de “aceptar y actuar desde el experiencing (una actitud de enfoque) “, contribuyó a una mejora en la” confianza en sí mismo (una capacidad psicológica competitiva) “, lo que llevó a efectos positivos en otros factores relacionados A las habilidades psicológicas competitivas. Sobre la base de los resultados anteriores, se indicó que adquirir actitudes del Focusing aumentaría la confianza en sí mismos de los atletas contribuyendo a mejorar las habilidades psicológicas competitivas en general. Se sugiere la posibilidad de apoyo psicológico para atletas que utilizan el Focusing.

KEYWORDS:

• Focusing attitudes
• psychological competitive abilities
• public self-consciousness
• athletes

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank college athletes for their cooperation. We are grateful to Masami Aikawa, Kaori Tsutsui, Daisuke Yamaguchi, and Tsuyoshi Aoki for their contribution to the progress of this study. Also, the first author is deeply grateful both to professor Shoji Murayama for his encouragement and to the late Sumiko Inoue, who taught focusing to the first author.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kei Yoshiwara

Kei Yoshiwara is a full-time counselor in Reitaku University student counseling center. He received Master of Arts in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning from University of East Anglia. He is certified as both focusing trainer and focusing-oriented therapist from the International Focusing Institute. His current research interests include a person-centered approach and counseling for athletes.

Hironobu Tsuchiya

Hironobu Tsuchiya, PhD is a certified sport psychologist and a professor of psychology at the Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences. For about 20 years, he has worked as the sport  psychology consultant for professional teams and as the counselor for Japanese Olympic and Paralympic athletes. He is the chair of the certification committee of Japanese association of sport psychology and contributes as a scientific support member of Japan Olympic committee for 2020 Tokyo games.