A single-subject/qualitative design was employed to determine if psychological skills training (PST) programs influenced athletes' levels and interpretations of anxiety, concentration, motivation, and coping resources. Two female collegiate swimmers high in anxiety and low in motivation and coping skills were selected from a participant pool of 53 swimmers, divers, volleyball, and soccer players. Both athletes completed an inventory packet consisting of a modified version ofthe Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS), Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), and the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) as well as an interview before and after an eight-week personalized PST program. Results indicated positive changes in both participants. Both had a reduction in total anxiety levels and an increase in total personal coping resources. Participant 020 also had a reduction in somatic, worry, and concentration disruption levels, and less debilitative interpretations in the somatic and worry subscales ofthe SAS. Concentration disruption direction remained the same. Participant 020 also had a decrease in amotivation and an increase in all three intrinsic motivation subscales (IM-for accomplishment, IM-for stimulation, and IM-to know). The ACSI-28 subscales that experienced an increase were coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, and confidence and achievement motivation. Participant 021 reported a reduction in the amount of somatic anxiety experienced and more facilitative interpretations of worry and concentration disruption. Extrinsic motivation subscales were reduced (EM-extemal control and EM-intemal pressure). The ACSI-28 subscales that increased were as follows: coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, goal setting/mental preparation, concentration, and freedom from worry. Results are discussed in terms ofoverall strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for future research.
","abstract_html":"<p>A single-subject/qualitative design was employed to determine if psychological skills training (PST) programs influenced athletes' levels and interpretations of anxiety, concentration, motivation, and coping resources. Two female collegiate swimmers high in anxiety and low in motivation and coping skills were selected from a participant pool of 53 swimmers, divers, volleyball, and soccer players. Both athletes completed an inventory packet consisting of a modified version ofthe Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS), Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), and the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) as well as an interview before and after an eight-week personalized PST program. Results indicated positive changes in both participants. Both had a reduction in total anxiety levels and an increase in total personal coping resources. Participant 020 also had a reduction in somatic, worry, and concentration disruption levels, and less debilitative interpretations in the somatic and worry subscales ofthe SAS. Concentration disruption direction remained the same. Participant 020 also had a decrease in amotivation and an increase in all three intrinsic motivation subscales (IM-for accomplishment, IM-for stimulation, and IM-to know). The ACSI-28 subscales that experienced an increase were coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, and confidence and achievement motivation. Participant 021 reported a reduction in the amount of somatic anxiety experienced and more facilitative interpretations of worry and concentration disruption. Extrinsic motivation subscales were reduced (EM-extemal control and EM-intemal pressure). The ACSI-28 subscales that increased were as follows: coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, goal setting/mental preparation, concentration, and freedom from worry. Results are discussed in terms ofoverall strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for future research.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Will, Michelle S."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Kinesiology with an Emphasis in Sport Psychology","degree_level":"Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)","degree_discipline":"Department of Health and Kinesiology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Charles J. Hardy","A. Barry Joyner"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2002,"date_issued":"2002-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2002-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:15Z","subjects":["ETD","Psychological skills training programs","Female collegiate athletes","Anxiety","Concentration","Motivation","Coping resources","Swimmers","Sport anxiety scale","SAS","Sport motivation scale","SMS","Athletic coping skills inventory-28","ACSI-28","Kinesiology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd_legacy/684","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Charles J. Hardy","A. Barry Joyner"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Will, Michelle S."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1970-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Health and Kinesiology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Kinesiology with an Emphasis in Sport Psychology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","Psychological skills training programs","Female collegiate athletes","Anxiety","Concentration","Motivation","Coping resources","Swimmers","Sport anxiety scale","SAS","Sport motivation scale","SMS","Athletic coping skills inventory-28","ACSI-28","Kinesiology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd_legacy/684"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["A single-subject/qualitative design was employed to determine if psychological skills training (PST) programs influenced athletes' levels and interpretations of anxiety, concentration, motivation, and coping resources. Two female collegiate swimmers high in anxiety and low in motivation and coping skills were selected from a participant pool of 53 swimmers, divers, volleyball, and soccer players. Both athletes completed an inventory packet consisting of a modified version ofthe Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS), Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), and the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) as well as an interview before and after an eight-week personalized PST program. Results indicated positive changes in both participants. Both had a reduction in total anxiety levels and an increase in total personal coping resources. Participant 020 also had a reduction in somatic, worry, and concentration disruption levels, and less debilitative interpretations in the somatic and worry subscales ofthe SAS. Concentration disruption direction remained the same. Participant 020 also had a decrease in amotivation and an increase in all three intrinsic motivation subscales (IM-for accomplishment, IM-for stimulation, and IM-to know). The ACSI-28 subscales that experienced an increase were coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, and confidence and achievement motivation. Participant 021 reported a reduction in the amount of somatic anxiety experienced and more facilitative interpretations of worry and concentration disruption. Extrinsic motivation subscales were reduced (EM-extemal control and EM-intemal pressure). The ACSI-28 subscales that increased were as follows: coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, goal setting/mental preparation, concentration, and freedom from worry. Results are discussed in terms ofoverall strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for future research.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Analysis of Psychological Skills Training Programs' Influence on Intercollegiate Female Athletes' Anxiety, Concentration, Motivation, and Coping Resources: A Single-Subject/Qualitative Design"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Charles J. Hardy","A. Barry Joyner"],"dc:creator":["Will, Michelle S."],"dc:date.available":["1970-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["A single-subject/qualitative design was employed to determine if psychological skills training (PST) programs influenced athletes' levels and interpretations of anxiety, concentration, motivation, and coping resources. Two female collegiate swimmers high in anxiety and low in motivation and coping skills were selected from a participant pool of 53 swimmers, divers, volleyball, and soccer players. Both athletes completed an inventory packet consisting of a modified version ofthe Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS), Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), and the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) as well as an interview before and after an eight-week personalized PST program. Results indicated positive changes in both participants. Both had a reduction in total anxiety levels and an increase in total personal coping resources. Participant 020 also had a reduction in somatic, worry, and concentration disruption levels, and less debilitative interpretations in the somatic and worry subscales ofthe SAS. Concentration disruption direction remained the same. Participant 020 also had a decrease in amotivation and an increase in all three intrinsic motivation subscales (IM-for accomplishment, IM-for stimulation, and IM-to know). The ACSI-28 subscales that experienced an increase were coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, and confidence and achievement motivation. Participant 021 reported a reduction in the amount of somatic anxiety experienced and more facilitative interpretations of worry and concentration disruption. Extrinsic motivation subscales were reduced (EM-extemal control and EM-intemal pressure). The ACSI-28 subscales that increased were as follows: coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, goal setting/mental preparation, concentration, and freedom from worry. Results are discussed in terms ofoverall strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for future research.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd_legacy/684"],"dc:subject":["ETD","Psychological skills training programs","Female collegiate athletes","Anxiety","Concentration","Motivation","Coping resources","Swimmers","Sport anxiety scale","SAS","Sport motivation scale","SMS","Athletic coping skills inventory-28","ACSI-28","Kinesiology"],"dc:title":["An Analysis of Psychological Skills Training Programs' Influence on Intercollegiate Female Athletes' Anxiety, Concentration, Motivation, and Coping Resources: A Single-Subject/Qualitative Design"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Health and Kinesiology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Kinesiology with an Emphasis in Sport Psychology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:15Z"}