Experience, Effectiveness, and Perceptions Toward Sport Psychology Consultants: A Critical Review of Peer-Reviewed Articles

Figures & data

Table 1 Outline of the Main Findings in Relation to Sport Psychology Consultants' (SPCs') Experiences

Experiences of SPCs
Professional philosophy
• Most SPCs adopt a cognitive-behavioral approach with mental-skills training
• The reality of the fieldwork requires SPCs to be flexible
• An approach centered on the athletes and their needs is preferred
Work context
• It is important to adapt interventions according to the athlete's needs and the sport setting (i.e., athlete's sport, level of the athlete, location [practices vs. competitions])
Challenges and obstacles
• Lack of financial resources or organizational and logistical constraints is common
• Increased workload during major competitions (many different teams)
• Neophyte SPCs should avoid a rigid expert approach
Important assets
• It is preferable to have experience before working with elite athletes
• Establishing a trust-based relationship with the stakeholders is important

Table 2 Outline of the Main Findings in Relation to Perceptions Toward Sport Psychology Consultants (SPCs)

Perceptions Toward SPCs
Perceptions of athletes
• Athletes perceive SPCs positively and are open to ask for their services
• Athletes are mainly motivated by enhanced performance outcomes
• Perceptions seem to vary according to nationality, gender and age
• Obstacles to hiring an SPC: lack of time and fear of being perceived as mentally weak
Perceptions of coaches
• Coaches perceive the work of SPCs as positive
• Some coaches prefer performance-related outcomes whereas others prefer personal development
• Obstacles to hiring an SPC: lack of knowledge of the services that SPCs provide and a lack of financial resources
Perceptions of administrators
• Administrators perceive the work of SPCs as positive, especially in performance improvement
• Obstacles to hiring an SPC: lack of financial resources and a lack of knowledge of the services SPCs provide
Perceptions of other sport professionals
• Sport physicians see the work of an SPC as positive

Table 3 Outline of the Main Findings in Relation to Sport Psychology Consultants' (SPCs) Effectiveness

Effectiveness of SPCs
Effectiveness according to athletes
• SPCs should have a positive attitude; have good communication skills; and be friendly/informal, trustworthy, and flexible
Effectiveness according to coaches
• SPCs should have knowledge of the sport, be trustworthy, and have good listening skills
• SPCs should be able to integrate the team's culture