The purpose of the present study was to design, implement, and evaluate the delivery and utility of a multicomponent online intervention that aimed to protect and promote the well-being of competitive and high-performance swimmers. Utilizing an action research methodology, the current study evaluated the delivery and utility of an intervention comprising six online workshops that were tailored to the needs of high-performance swimmers (n attending = 46). In addition, an accompanying workshop for parents (n attending = 22) and coaches (n attending = 17) was developed and delivered. Data were analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. Overall, feedback on the intervention was positive, with participants indicating that they enjoyed the sessions, particularly opportunities for discussion and reflection, as well as learning from the experiences of a professional swimmer. Participants also indicated that their understanding and knowledge regarding well-being increased, as well as gaining reassurance and confidence regarding the support and strategies they had available. Nevertheless, there were some challenges and limitations identified with the workshops, which should be considered for future research and interventions.

Decades of research have illustrated the value of sport psychology interventions in high-performance sport settings. Research has also explored the effectiveness of sport psychology practitioners, the sport psychology practitioner–athlete working relationship, the role of reflective practice in ensuring effective learning, and the delivery of sport psychology services in various sport contexts. The purpose of the present paper was twofold: (a) to explore athletes’ perceptions of the effectiveness of a yearlong psychological-skills-training program in the context of the Chinese sport system and (b) to enable athletes to reflect and personally develop in sport and for their life outside of sport. Guided by a narrative methodology, pre- and postprogram interviews were conducted with 13 volleyball players on two Chinese provincial women’s volleyball teams. The four narratives illustrate the athletes’ experiences that speak to the effectiveness of the yearlong program and the issues faced that hindered that effectiveness.

On the road to success, team members combine efforts to cope with stressful situations they face together. This case study explores communal coping in a professional ice hockey team during the COVID-19 crisis, involving 20 male players (Mage = 28.5). Using template thematic analysis of semistructured interviews, three shared stressors were identified: the suspension of competitions, uncertainty about logistics and career stability, and the loss of social opportunities. These stressors affected psychological well-being, interpersonal relationships, and team performance. Findings reveal various communal coping strategies including problem-focused efforts (e.g., effort expenditure), relationship-focused coping (e.g., team days), and communal emotional management (e.g., compassionate conversations). Leaders contribute to the communal coping process by fostering a positive social environment and initiating coping strategies. By introducing the concept of transactional space, this study highlights the importance of communication and group dynamics in coordinating efforts against adversity and suggests that training leaders could enhance team resilience.

Elite athletes frequently experience disrupted sleep, which can harm both performance and mental health. This feasibility study evaluated a 5-week guided digital sleep intervention for elite athletes ( N = 16, M age = 20.5 years, M weekly training hours = 18.6). The intervention combined an in-person workshop, a structured sleep application, and weekly motivational cues. Using quantitative and qualitative data, we examined preliminary changes in sleep problems (e.g., difficulty maintaining sleep), symptoms of depression and anxiety, and well-being, alongside application engagement and implementation feedback. Outcomes were assessed baseline, preintervention, postintervention, and at 2-month follow-up. Athletes engaged consistently and rated the program relevant and acceptable. Repeated-measures analyses of variance showed reductions in sleep problems and depressive symptoms from baseline/preintervention to postintervention but not maintained at follow-up. No meaningful changes appeared for anxiety symptoms or well-being. Findings suggest that the guided digital sleep intervention is feasible for elite athletes, supporting further evaluation in a larger controlled trial.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is an athlete resource comprising cognitive and motivational self-regulation associated with practice strategies foundational to elite talent development. Research has yet to consider Mental Performance Consultants’ views on SRL and the viability of targeting SRL in consulting. We interviewed 12 Mental Performance Consultants (eight women, four men) about the meanings they attach to SRL and whether SRL is important for competitive adolescents’ practice. Descriptive analysis detailed their concept of SRL, featuring “connection to quality practice,” “key property of athlete ownership,” and “SRL is cyclical.” Implementation and adaptation of SRL implicated “gathering and integrating information,” “adapting based on context,” “coach-plus perspective,” and “being okay with mistakes.” Their views aligned with predominant conceptualizations yet suggested new considerations (e.g., emotional regulation, knowledge foundations, adaptations between competition and practice). The Mental Performance Consultants described SRL in positive, coherent, and accessible terms for adolescent clients.

We present two confessional tales of our transnational experience as U.K.-based trainee sport psychology practitioners working in a professional sport organization in Trinidad and Tobago. We first provide contextual elements of our placement before sharing the confessional tales regarding the nuances of providing sport psychology services in a cultural context different from the one in which we are currently training. In the confessional tales, we share some challenges and hurdles we experienced relating to our culturally led assumptions. The tales are titled “Boundary Issues” and “Punctuality Is a Privilege.” We then share some reflections in which we explore our lessons learned about cultural humility and describe our underestimation of our cultural arrogance and the challenges experienced during our cultural reflection process. We conclude this professional practice paper by offering several practical implications for trainees and qualified sport psychology practitioners to consider when developing a culturally grounded approach to practice.

While a breadth of literature has asserted the potential physiological benefits of cold-water-immersion (CWI) activities (such as sea swimming, ice baths, and cold showers), analyses on their possible psychological effects is more limited. The current analysis (N = 164) aimed to explore the relationship between CWI and a number of psychological variables pertaining to mental health and psychological fortitude by comparing those who engage in CWI via various modalities (n = 120) and at various levels of frequency to those who do not (n = 44). When controlling for levels of daily stress, engagement in cold-water activities was found to be associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as higher levels of resilience, self-efficacy, and mental toughness. Furthermore, analyses suggested a “dosage effect” as more frequent CWI was associated with significantly more positive levels of mental toughness and self-efficacy.

Currently, there is no empirical research on second-generation mindfulness training in the field of sport psychology. This study designed Samatha-based training (SBT) according to the principles of Samatha (a Buddhist practice) and preliminarily tested its influence on flow state. A total of 22 martial-arts-routine athletes were divided into two groups: the SBT group (n = 10) and the wait-list group (n = 12). The 7-week intervention demonstrated that SBT significantly enhanced the scores in present-moment attention, awareness, and flow state. These results support the effectiveness of SBT as a novel second-generation mindfulness-based intervention. Furthermore, the concept of mindfulness is discussed from the Samatha perspective, and subsequently, the reason that SBT promotes flow state was explored from a new perspective.

This study adopts the athletic career transition model to explore the experiences of Korean dual-career (DC) judokas during their junior-to-senior transition using a longitudinal approach. We recruited 12 Korean elite judokas, all of whom were in their first year of university during their initial interview. Participants were organized into three focus groups, with three rounds of interviews conducted over approximately 2 years, totaling nine focus-group sessions. Thematic analysis was applied, which led to the identification of three key themes: (a) multifaceted challenges, (b) coping strategies, and (c) perceived needs of DC athletes prioritizing sport over study. The results indicate that Korean DC judokas share some common challenges (e.g., increased training demands, balancing their studies with training demands) with their European counterparts, but they also face unique challenges (e.g., managing weight control, laundry duties, and relationships with senior judokas) specific to the Korean judokas. Their coping strategies include both internal resources (e.g., focusing on performance target, utilizing resilience) and external ones (e.g., seeking social support), emphasizing the critical role of psychological support during their junior-to-senior transition. Proactive psychological support is recommended through a specialized system tailored to this group. Given that Korean DC judokas significantly prioritize sport over education, this system should also address balancing both sport and education.

This study explored goal-directed self-talk and its optimization through educational self-talk interventions, focusing on a novel sports-oriented board-game intervention. Examining a practitioner’s experiences and diverse participant profiles, including an elite tennis player, a recreational athlete, a football referee, and a tennis coach, the research employed four in-depth case studies. A unique aspect of this study involved intentional control transfer from practitioner to client, documented through a practitioner diary and postintervention interviews. Participants generally expressed appreciation for the intervention; however, the coach’s case necessitated bespoke adjustments, underscoring the importance of contextual sensitivity in applied practice. The educational self-talk intervention reportedly facilitated the analytical deconstruction of challenges, enhancing self-regulation through goal-directed self-talk. The study underscored the pedagogical merit of the board game and observed a substantive transfer of control from practitioner to participant over the intervention’s longitudinal trajectory. Detailed recommendations have been crafted for practitioners to implement the educational self-talk intervention effectively in their practice.