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Increased urban population has created a disconnection between humans and natural environments that needs to be recognised as a key challenge. This article proposes that disconnection from nature in urban settings can be mitigated by digital placemaking. A conceptual framework which accounts for place attachment and place branding, Social Identity Theory and nature connectedness is presented. The benefit of this approach is that it can help us understand more clearly the different dynamics involved in hybrid place experience as a driver for both social change and consumer wellbeing. This modified hybrid tripartite model creates meaningful places for consumers, fostering their attachment to the space and with others, while simultaneously enhancing their wellbeing. In addition, the model contributes to our understanding of place branding effects on consumers beyond commercial outcomes; explaining the positive effects on wellbeing of nature-based digital placemaking; and providing clarity on the role of technology in nature-based place brand experiences. In synthesising the different dimensions of the framework, potential implications for place managers, marketers and leaders are outlined.

This systematic review assesses the methodological quality of manuscripts focusing on scales that explicitly measure nature connectedness. A literature search in six electronic databases was conducted using a search strategy based on PICO guidelines. Only peer-reviewed primary research available in English language, published between 2000 and 2021, meeting the scope of this review were included. Data from 35 studies were narratively analyzed. Their methodological quality was assessed using the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist. Only five studies were rated as high/adequate quality. Based on the findings we make the following recommendations: (a) the need for the development of a more universal nature connectedness construct, (b) the requirement to increase the methodological quality of the scales, (c) the need to identify which the scales measure trait or state, (d) the need to increase the validate scales cross-culturally, and (e) the need to develop scales that can be employed with non-adult samples.

peer-reviewed, Mental imagery, or the ability to simulate in the mind information that is not currently perceived by the senses, has attracted considerable research interest in psychology since the early 1970's. Within the past two decades, research in this field-as in cognitive psychology more generally-has been dominated by neuroscientific methods that typically involve comparisons between imagery performance of participants from clinical populations with those who exhibit apparently normal cognitive functioning. Although this approach has been valuable in identifying key neural substrates of visual imagery, it has been less successful in understanding the possible mechanisms underlying another simulation process, namely, motor imagery or the mental rehearsal of actions without engaging in the actual movements involved. In order to address this oversight, a "strength-based" approach has been postulated which is concerned with understanding those on the high ability end of the imagery performance spectrum. Guided by the expert performance approach and principles of ecological validity, converging methods have the potential to enable imagery researchers to investigate the neural "signature" of elite performers, for example. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explain the origin, nature, and implications of the strength-based approach to mental imagery. Following a brief explanation of the background to this latter approach, we highlight some important theoretical advances yielded by recent research on mental practice, mental travel, and meta-imagery processes in expert athletes and dancers. Next, we consider the methodological implications of using a strength-based approach to investigate imagery processes. The implications for the field of motor cognition are outlined and specific research questions, in dynamic imagery, imagery perspective, measurement, multi-sensory imagery, and metacognition that may benefit from this approach in the future are sketched briefly., Published, peer-reviewed

peer-reviewed, Resilience research is undergoing a shift away from trait approaches, acknowledging the inherent process and dynamism of stress interactions. Hill et al. (2018) suggest that to understand the iterative nature of the multifactorial resilience process, a dynamical systems approach needs to be used. We suggest that explaining resilience through Whetten’s (1989) what, how, where and when of theory building will elucidate our understanding of both the disruptive and reintegrative pathways of resilience. Adopting this approach to resilience, we clarify (a) self-regulatory and episodic pathways to positive adaptation in the face of a broader range of stressors, and (b) we use conservation of resources theory to explain the fluctuation and developable capacity of resilience. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to develop resilience interventions for specific predictable adversities in sport. Building strategies around the dual pathway model will promote preventive and reintegrative resilience approaches, optimizing performance episodes and well-being in ongoing sporting endeavors

peer-reviewed, Well-being and mental health of psychologists and their clients can be strongly linked to the psychologists’ experience of work. We know from general theories of occupational health psychology that certain work factors will have a greater impact on well-being than others. Work engagement is positively related with occupational health, while burnout and workaholic tendencies relate negatively. An individual’s resources can buffer against these negative effects. Specifically, the environmental resource of social support can impede the impact and instance of workaholism and has a positive influence on burnout. Social support is often encouraged by sport psychologists in protecting an athlete’s well-being. Drawing on theory and research from work and organizational, health and social psychology we explore the lived experiences of burnout and work engagement among applied sport psychologists, investigating their perceptions of how these experiences impact their well-being. Thirty participants from five countries were asked, using semi-structured interviews, to recall specific incidents when feelings of work engagement and burnout occurred. We examined the influence of social support and its impact on these incidents. Thematic analysis revealed that burnout is frequently experienced despite high levels of work engagement. Sources of social support differ between groups of high burnout versus low burnout, as does reference to the dimensions of work engagement. Avenues for future research including investigating the role of mindfulness and therapeutic lifestyle changes for practitioners are outlined.

peer-reviewed, Research into the work-based well-being of applied sport psychologists has been neglected in the past. While some papers have appeared that investigate their experiences, these have not looked specifically at how these experiences may affect the individual. This thesis intends to change that, by not only examining the work-based well-being of applied sport psychologists in general, but also by investigating the potential effects a large international multi-sport event (e.g. Olympic and/or Paralympic Games) may have on the on practitioners themselves. The first empirical study focuses on the burnout and work engagement of sport psychologists from both academic and applied backgrounds, qualitative interviews were utilised to examine their experiences and their use of social support as a resource. Workaholic tendencies and the use of optimism, and its potential negative effects rounded out this qualitative study. A mixed-methods approach was taken in the second study. A longitudinal survey over four time-points (between May and November of 2016), measured the burnout and work engagement of applied sport psychologists who worked with athletes competing at the Games, along with optimism, mood and passion. Daily diaries also assessed for fluctuations in burnout and work engagement of applied practitioners who were on site at the Summer Olympic and/or Paralympic Games in Rio 2016. The main themes emerging from the research were 1) Burnout is commonly experienced by applied sport psychologists, despite positive engagement with their work. Sources of social support have an impact on the level of burnout experienced, 2) Workaholic tendencies were also common among the same practitioners, as was high levels of optimism, posing the question, can there be a dark side to the optimism reported by these applied sport psychologists, 3) Depersonalisation was the dimension of burnout that had the largest significance over time in the year of the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games, it was

peer-reviewed, Psychological science faces a call to action researching the implications of the corona virus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Rapid reviews have reported that maintaining rigorous research standards is a priority for the field, such as ensuring reliable and valid measurement, when investigating people’s experience of Covid-19 (O’Connor et al., 2020). However, no research to date has validated a measure mental health symptomology for an athlete population. The current research addresses this gap by examining the internal consistency, factor structure, invariance, and convergent validity of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21; Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995) in two athlete samples. Participants completed the DASS-21 and sport-specific measures of mental health such as the Profile of Mood States – Depression subscale (POMS-D), Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2), Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ), and Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ). In sample one (n = 894), results of exploratory structural equation modeling indicated that a three-factor model provided good fit to the data, but a bifactor model provided better fit. Factor loadings indicated minimal misspecification and higher loadings on the general-factor. Invariance testing suggested equivalence across gender, athletic expertise, sport type, and injury status. Further, latent mean differences analyses indicated that females and injured athletes scored higher than male and non-injured athletes on all DASS-21 factors reporting higher mental health symptomology, those with more expertise scored higher on the general-factor and depression and those with less expertise scored higher on anxiety and stress, and no differences between team and individual athletes. In sample two (n = 589), the bifactor structure was replicated. Results largely supported the scales convergent validity with depression predicting POMS-D scores, whereas all three subscales predicted the SAS-2, ABQ, and APSQ scores. Inte

peer-reviewed, Mental health is a global societal challenge. Sport, more specifically, elite sport, offers a potential window into the mental health challenges of young people. We initiated this research topic by proposing that explanations for mental health disturbance in sport predominantly based on training load (e.g., mental health model, Raglin, 2001), overlooked the potential organizational stressors in the high performance sport environment and did not adequately account for sportrelated issues, including the consequences of injury, for non-normative transitions out of sport (Brewer and Redmond, 2017). In parallel with articles published in this research topic, recent research has advanced our knowledge of the prevalence of psychological disorders in elite sport, highlighting mental health issues among elite sport performers (e.g., Rice et al., 2016; Gouttebarge et al., 2017; Hagiwara et al., 2017). In light of this contemporary research, the present research topic on “Mental health challenges in elite sport: Balancing risk with reward” in Frontiers in Psychologymakes a contribution with 17 articles comprising original research, reviews, perspective features, and an abundance of commentaries on this important topic. Depression was a foremost concern highlighted in the articles included in this research topic, which was investigated with novel methodological approaches.

peer-reviewed, Resilience research is undergoing a shift away from trait approaches, acknowledging the inherent process and dynamism of stress interactions. Hill et al. (2018) suggest that to understand the iterative nature of the multifactorial resilience process, a dynamical systems approach needs to be used. We suggest that explaining resilience through Whetten’s (1989) what, how, where and when of theory building will elucidate our understanding of both the disruptive and reintegrative pathways of resilience. Adopting this approach to resilience, we clarify (a) self-regulatory and episodic pathways to positive adaptation in the face of a broader range of stressors, and (b) we use conservation of resources theory to explain the fluctuation and developable capacity of resilience. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to develop resilience interventions for specific predictable adversities in sport. Building strategies around the dual pathway model will promote preventive and reintegrative resilience approaches, optimizing performance episodes and well-being in ongoing sporting endeavors

peer-reviewed, Attention involves not only a focus on objects or locations, but also on various thoughts or activities. During endurance activity, attention allocation has traditionally been viewed as a focus either on sensory information and task performance (i.e., association), or on distracting stimuli and away from feelings of exertion (i.e., dissociation). Accordingly, the primary aim of this thesis was to examine the dynamic interrelationships between attentional focus and endurance activity. Chapter two specifically aimed to review how association and dissociation have been conceptualised, and to introduce frameworks to guide future research on attentional focus in endurance activity. In an attempt to resolve some conceptual issues, a new model of attentional focus during endurance activity was developed based on an extension of previous models. Chapter three built upon this work and sought to apply a metacognitive perspective to better understand the influences on, and dynamics of attentional focus and cognitive control during endurance activity. The findings of ten semi-structured interviews revealed that metacognitive skills (e.g., planning and reviewing), and metacognitive experiences were fundamental to cognitive strategy use in elite endurance runners. The findings allowed for the development of a metacognitive framework of attentional focus and cognitive control during endurance activity. Applying this framework, the study presented in chapter four was the first to investigate the effects of manipulating perceptions of pace control and pace regulation on attentional focus, physiological, and psychological processes during running. The outcomes revealed that altering pace control and pace regulation impacted on attentional focus and subsequent endurance performance. Collectively, the findings of this thesis attempt to provide a more nuanced understanding, and advance the conceptualisation and practical application of attentional focus during endurance activity. We pro

peer-reviewed, Mental health in the workplace is a societal challenge with serious economical and human costs. Most prevalent mental disorders in the workforce (e.g., depression), however, are preventable. There is widespread agreement about the favorable effects of nature exposure and consequently, nature-based interventions (NBI) in the workplace have been proposed as a cost-effective approach to promote good health among employees. The objective of the present study was to systematically review scientific evidence on the effectiveness of NBI to promote mental health and well-being among actual employees in actual workplace settings. The review was conducted and presented in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The literature search was performed on five databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINHAL, and PsycINFO), hand-searching of field-specific journals, and the reference lists of retrieved papers over the past 5 years up to November (13th, 2018). Studies were eligible for inclusion if they (i) were randomized or nonrandomized controlled trials; (ii) comprised samples of actual employees; (iii) implemented a workplace-based intervention with exposure to nature; (iv) included comparison conditions that displayed a clear contrast to NBIs; and (v) investigated the quantitative effects on mental health or well-being. No restrictions on type of employees or workplace, publication period, or language of the publication were set. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane’s RoB2 tool. Narrative synthesis was performed due to large heterogeneity in outcome variables. Of the 510 articles identified, 10 NBIs (nine papers) met the eligibility criteria. The outcomes were grouped in five categories: (i) mental health indices, (ii) cognitive ability, (iii) recovery and restoration, (iv) work and life satisfaction, and (v) psychophysiological indicators. Narrative synthesis indicates consistently positive effects on mental health indices and cognitive ability, while mixed results were foun

peer-reviewed, Research into the work-based well-being of applied sport psychologists has been neglected in the past. While some papers have appeared that investigate their experiences, these have not looked specifically at how these experiences may affect the individual. This thesis intends to change that, by not only examining the work-based well-being of applied sport psychologists in general, but also by investigating the potential effects a large international multi-sport event (e.g. Olympic and/or Paralympic Games) may have on the on practitioners themselves. The first empirical study focuses on the burnout and work engagement of sport psychologists from both academic and applied backgrounds, qualitative interviews were utilised to examine their experiences and their use of social support as a resource. Workaholic tendencies and the use of optimism, and its potential negative effects rounded out this qualitative study. A mixed-methods approach was taken in the second study. A longitudinal survey over four time-points (between May and November of 2016), measured the burnout and work engagement of applied sport psychologists who worked with athletes competing at the Games, along with optimism, mood and passion. Daily diaries also assessed for fluctuations in burnout and work engagement of applied practitioners who were on site at the Summer Olympic and/or Paralympic Games in Rio 2016. The main themes emerging from the research were 1) Burnout is commonly experienced by applied sport psychologists, despite positive engagement with their work. Sources of social support have an impact on the level of burnout experienced, 2) Workaholic tendencies were also common among the same practitioners, as was high levels of optimism, posing the question, can there be a dark side to the optimism reported by these applied sport psychologists, 3) Depersonalisation was the dimension of burnout that had the largest significance over time in the year of the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games, it was

peer-reviewed, Well-being and mental health of psychologists and their clients can be strongly linked to the psychologists’ experience of work. We know from general theories of occupational health psychology that certain work factors will have a greater impact on well-being than others. Work engagement is positively related with occupational health, while burnout and workaholic tendencies relate negatively. An individual’s resources can buffer against these negative effects. Specifically, the environmental resource of social support can impede the impact and instance of workaholism and has a positive influence on burnout. Social support is often encouraged by sport psychologists in protecting an athlete’s well-being. Drawing on theory and research from work and organizational, health and social psychology we explore the lived experiences of burnout and work engagement among applied sport psychologists, investigating their perceptions of how these experiences impact their well-being. Thirty participants from five countries were asked, using semi-structured interviews, to recall specific incidents when feelings of work engagement and burnout occurred. We examined the influence of social support and its impact on these incidents. Thematic analysis revealed that burnout is frequently experienced despite high levels of work engagement. Sources of social support differ between groups of high burnout versus low burnout, as does reference to the dimensions of work engagement. Avenues for future research including investigating the role of mindfulness and therapeutic lifestyle changes for practitioners are outlined.

peer-reviewed, Resilience research is undergoing a shift away from trait approaches, acknowledging the inherent process and dynamism of stress interactions. Hill et al. (2018) suggest that to understand the iterative nature of the multifactorial resilience process, a dynamical systems approach needs to be used. We suggest that explaining resilience through Whetten’s (1989) what, how, where and when of theory building will elucidate our understanding of both the disruptive and reintegrative pathways of resilience. Adopting this approach to resilience, we clarify (a) self-regulatory and episodic pathways to positive adaptation in the face of a broader range of stressors, and (b) we use conservation of resources theory to explain the fluctuation and developable capacity of resilience. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to develop resilience interventions for specific predictable adversities in sport. Building strategies around the dual pathway model will promote preventive and reintegrative resilience approaches, optimizing performance episodes and well-being in ongoing sporting endeavors

peer-reviewed, For over a century,psychologists have investigated the mental processes of expert performers people who display exceptional knowledge and/or skills in specific fields of human achievement.

peer-reviewed, The research investigates coach education, how this education and learning is applied in practice and athlete perception of coaching behaviours. A mixed methods approach was used throughout the research which initially examined coaches' academic and coach education backgrounds through an online survey followed by a semi-structured interview. The next phase of this research examined how high performance coaches applied their learning through observation of the coach in both training and competition over the course of one season. Coaching behaviour was both quantitatively and qualitatively analysed to examine the total number and rate of instructions per minute and questioning by the coach. Furthermore, data were also collected to analyse the athletes’ perceptions of the coaching behaviour at three different time-points over the course of the same season. The results showed coaches preferred an informal rather than formal coach learning situation and that the current coach education system does not meet the demands of all coaching levels. These findings have enhanced the understanding of coach education and preferred learning environments and may contribute to future coach education courses. Furthermore, the findings revealed significant changes in athletes’ perceptions of coaching behaviour at different time-points providing evidence of coaches adapting their methods to address the different contexts and challenges faced over the course of the season. Taken together the implications for this research indicate that additional content on how to coach should be included in the coach education process. Such a focus should enable a shift away from what to coach towards a more coach and athlete centred environment that will enhance both coach and athlete development.

peer-reviewed, Traditionally, perceptions about extreme sport athletes being disconnected from nature and a risk-taking population have permeated the research literature. Drawing upon theoretical perspectives from environmental, sport, organizational and positive psychology, this qualitative study attempts to explore the lived experiences of four male and four female extreme sport athletes. The purpose of this study was to gain insight and understanding into the individuals’ attitudes toward the benefits of extreme sport activities for well-being, resilience and pro-environmental behavior. Eight participants (Mean age = 40.5 years; SD = 12.9) provided written informed consent to partake in semi-structured interviews. Each athlete provided written consented to allow the publication of their identifiable data and in order to facilitate sharing of their autobiographical account of their experiences. After conducting thematic analysis, meta-themes that emerged from the analyses were as follows: (a) early childhood experiences, (b) the challenge of the outdoors, (c) their emotional response to nature, (d) nature for coping, (e) restorative spaces, and (f) environmental concern. The findings convey great commonalities across the participants with regard to their mindset, their emotional well-being as well as their connectivity with nature and attitudes toward the natural environment. The cognitive-affective-social-behavioral linkage of the benefits of extreme sport participation for well-being, psychological recovery and proenvironmental behavior are highlighted. This study examining the lived experiences of extreme sportspeople provides a novel contribution to our contemporary understanding of extreme athletes’ relationship to nature and its commensurate impact upon well-being and pro-environmental attitudes. The findings suggest that extreme sport participation, while inherently risky has psychological benefits ranging from evoking positive emotions, developing resilience and life cop

peer-reviewed, Purpose: Burnout has been shown to develop due to chronic stress or distress, which has negative implications for both physical and mental health and well-being. Burnout research originated in the “caring-professions.” However, there is a paucity of research which has focused specifically on how job demands, resources and personal characteristics affect burnout among practitioner psychologists. Methods: This PRISMA review (Moher et al., 2009) involved searches of key databases (i.e., Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS and Google Scholar) for articles published prior to 1st January, 2017. Articles concerning the prevalence and cause(s) of burnout in applied psychologists, that were published in the English language were included. Both quantitative and qualitative investigative studies were included in the review. The Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT; Crowe, 2013) was used to appraise the quality of each paper included in this review. An inductive content analysis approach (Thomas, 2006) was subsequently conducted in order to identify the developing themes from the data. Results: The systematic review comprised 29 papers. The most commonly cited dimension of burnout by applied psychologists was emotional exhaustion (34.48% of papers). Atheoretical approaches were common among the published articles on burnout among applied psychologists.Workload and work setting are the most common job demands and factors that contribute to burnout among applied psychologists, with the resources and personal characteristics of research are age and experience, and sex the most commonly focused upon within the literature. Conclusions: The results of the current review offers evidence that burnout is a concern for those working in the delivery of psychological interventions. Emotional exhaustion is themost commonly reported dimension of burnout, with job and personal characteristics and resources also playing important roles in the development of burnout in the mental health care profession. Fi

peer-reviewed, Resilience research is undergoing a shift away from trait approaches, acknowledging the inherent process and dynamism of stress interactions. Hill et al. (2018) suggest that to understand the iterative nature of the multifactorial resilience process, a dynamical systems approach needs to be used. We suggest that explaining resilience through Whetten’s (1989) what, how, where and when of theory building will elucidate our understanding of both the disruptive and reintegrative pathways of resilience. Adopting this approach to resilience, we clarify (a) self-regulatory and episodic pathways to positive adaptation in the face of a broader range of stressors, and (b) we use conservation of resources theory to explain the fluctuation and developable capacity of resilience. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to develop resilience interventions for specific predictable adversities in sport. Building strategies around the dual pathway model will promote preventive and reintegrative resilience approaches, optimizing performance episodes and well-being in ongoing sporting endeavors

peer-reviewed, Mental health is a global societal challenge. Sport, more specifically, elite sport, offers a potential window into the mental health challenges of young people. We initiated this research topic by proposing that explanations for mental health disturbance in sport predominantly based on training load (e.g., mental health model, Raglin, 2001), overlooked the potential organizational stressors in the high performance sport environment and did not adequately account for sportrelated issues, including the consequences of injury, for non-normative transitions out of sport (Brewer and Redmond, 2017). In parallel with articles published in this research topic, recent research has advanced our knowledge of the prevalence of psychological disorders in elite sport, highlighting mental health issues among elite sport performers (e.g., Rice et al., 2016; Gouttebarge et al., 2017; Hagiwara et al., 2017). In light of this contemporary research, the present research topic on “Mental health challenges in elite sport: Balancing risk with reward” in Frontiers in Psychologymakes a contribution with 17 articles comprising original research, reviews, perspective features, and an abundance of commentaries on this important topic. Depression was a foremost concern highlighted in the articles included in this research topic, which was investigated with novel methodological approaches.

peer-reviewed, The research investigates coach education, how this education and learning is applied in practice and athlete perception of coaching behaviours. A mixed methods approach was used throughout the research which initially examined coaches' academic and coach education backgrounds through an online survey followed by a semi-structured interview. The next phase of this research examined how high performance coaches applied their learning through observation of the coach in both training and competition over the course of one season. Coaching behaviour was both quantitatively and qualitatively analysed to examine the total number and rate of instructions per minute and questioning by the coach. Furthermore, data were also collected to analyse the athletes’ perceptions of the coaching behaviour at three different time-points over the course of the same season. The results showed coaches preferred an informal rather than formal coach learning situation and that the current coach education system does not meet the demands of all coaching levels. These findings have enhanced the understanding of coach education and preferred learning environments and may contribute to future coach education courses. Furthermore, the findings revealed significant changes in athletes’ perceptions of coaching behaviour at different time-points providing evidence of coaches adapting their methods to address the different contexts and challenges faced over the course of the season. Taken together the implications for this research indicate that additional content on how to coach should be included in the coach education process. Such a focus should enable a shift away from what to coach towards a more coach and athlete centred environment that will enhance both coach and athlete development.

peer-reviewed, Attention involves not only a focus on objects or locations, but also on various thoughts or activities. During endurance activity, attention allocation has traditionally been viewed as a focus either on sensory information and task performance (i.e., association), or on distracting stimuli and away from feelings of exertion (i.e., dissociation). Accordingly, the primary aim of this thesis was to examine the dynamic interrelationships between attentional focus and endurance activity. Chapter two specifically aimed to review how association and dissociation have been conceptualised, and to introduce frameworks to guide future research on attentional focus in endurance activity. In an attempt to resolve some conceptual issues, a new model of attentional focus during endurance activity was developed based on an extension of previous models. Chapter three built upon this work and sought to apply a metacognitive perspective to better understand the influences on, and dynamics of attentional focus and cognitive control during endurance activity. The findings of ten semi-structured interviews revealed that metacognitive skills (e.g., planning and reviewing), and metacognitive experiences were fundamental to cognitive strategy use in elite endurance runners. The findings allowed for the development of a metacognitive framework of attentional focus and cognitive control during endurance activity. Applying this framework, the study presented in chapter four was the first to investigate the effects of manipulating perceptions of pace control and pace regulation on attentional focus, physiological, and psychological processes during running. The outcomes revealed that altering pace control and pace regulation impacted on attentional focus and subsequent endurance performance. Collectively, the findings of this thesis attempt to provide a more nuanced understanding, and advance the conceptualisation and practical application of attentional focus during endurance activity. We pro

peer-reviewed, Objectives: The purpose of this review was to synthesise contemporary research on competitive sport motivation (1995e2016) with a view to identifying trends and gaps in sample characteristics, research designs and analytical strategies, and classifying associated topics. Design: Narrative review. Method: Four databases were searched using a focused search strategy, leading to 63 studies that met the inclusion criteria. These were then evaluated in five sections: Theoretical Frameworks, Sample Characteristics, Research Designs, Analytical Strategies and Topics. Results: A total of 63 studies comprising 12,440 participants were appraised. The average sample size and participant age were 197 and 22.6 years, respectively. Just over half of the studies described their sample as high-level. The majority of studies were quantitative and employed a cross-sectional design. A range of innovative statistical analyses were used, with structural equation modelling being increasingly adopted. In addition to studies focusing on motivation as a stand-alone topic, researchers in the area also investigated its relationship with motivational climate, burnout, doping, perfectionism, injury, and several other related variables. Conclusions: After reviewing the body of research on this specific topic area, promising directions for future research are presented. The focused approach particularly seeks to encourage researchers to employ different methodologies, and prioritise underused topics in future research on competitive athlete groups. Furthermore, the review points to several practical implications for competitive sport stakeholders.

peer-reviewed, Self-regulation reflects an individual's efforts to bring behavior and thinking into line with often consciously desired goals. During endurance activity, self-regulation requires an athlete to balance their speed or power output appropriately to achieve an optimal level of performance. Considering that both behavior and thinking are core elements of self-regulation, this article provides a cognitive perspective on the processes required for effective pace-regulation during endurance performance. We also integrate this viewpoint with physiological and performance outcomes during activity. As such, evidence is presented to suggest that what an athlete thinks about has an important influence on effort perceptions, physiological outcomes, and, consequently, endurance performance. This article also provides an account of how an athlete might control their cognition and focus attention during an endurance event. We propose that effective cognitive control during performance requires both proactive, goal-driven processes and reactive, stimulus-driven processes. In addition, the role of metacognition—or thinking about thinking—in pace-regulation will also be considered. Metacognition is an essential component of self-regulation and its primary functions are to monitor and control the thoughts and actions required for task completion. To illustrate these processes in action, a metacognitive framework of attentional focus and cognitive control is applied to an endurance performance setting: specifically, Bradley Wiggins' successful 2015 Hour record attempt in cycling. Finally, future perspectives will consider the potentially deleterious effects of the sustained cognitive effort required during prolonged and strenuous endurance tasks.

peer-reviewed, This paper considers the environmental impact on well-being and performance in elite athletes during Olympic competition. The benefits of exercising in natural environments are recognized, but less is known about the effects on performance and health in elite athletes. Although some Olympic events take place in natural environments, the majority occur in the host city, usually a large densely populated area where low exposure to natural environments is compounded by exposure to high levels of air, water, and noise pollution in the ambient environment. By combining methods and expertise from diverse but inter-related disciplines including environmental psychology, exercise physiology, biomechanics, environmental science, and epidemiology, a transdisciplinary approach will facilitate a greater understanding of the effects of the environment on Olympic athletes

peer-reviewed, Well-being and mental health of psychologists and their clients can be strongly linked to the psychologists’ experience of work. We know from general theories of occupational health psychology that certain work factors will have a greater impact on well-being than others. Work engagement is positively related with occupational health, while burnout and workaholic tendencies relate negatively. An individual’s resources can buffer against these negative effects. Specifically, the environmental resource of social support can impede the impact and instance of workaholism and has a positive influence on burnout. Social support is often encouraged by sport psychologists in protecting an athlete’s well-being. Drawing on theory and research from work and organizational, health and social psychology we explore the lived experiences of burnout and work engagement among applied sport psychologists, investigating their perceptions of how these experiences impact their well-being. Thirty participants from five countries were asked, using semi-structured interviews, to recall specific incidents when feelings of work engagement and burnout occurred. We examined the influence of social support and its impact on these incidents. Thematic analysis revealed that burnout is frequently experienced despite high levels of work engagement. Sources of social support differ between groups of high burnout versus low burnout, as does reference to the dimensions of work engagement. Avenues for future research including investigating the role of mindfulness and therapeutic lifestyle changes for practitioners are outlined.

peer-reviewed, St Patrick’s Day, 17 March, is the Irish national holiday and is celebrated with equal enthusiasm in Dublin, Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool and London. The Irish connection to Britain is well founded as it is based on our geographical proximity and complex political relationship over the centuries. As we celebrate the feast day of our patron saint (although it seems that St Patrick was probably Welsh), it is worth considering the origins of psychology in Ireland. Specifically, we are interested in how the emergence of psychology in Ireland has been influenced by the preeminence of psychology in Britain.

peer-reviewed, There is now compelling evidence that motor imagery (MI) and actual movement share common neural substrate. However, the question of how MI inhibits the transmission of motor commands into the efferent pathways in order to prevent any movement is largely unresolved. Similarly, little is known about the nature of the electromyographic activity that is apparent during MI. In addressing these gaps in the literature, the present paper argues that MI includes motor execution commands for muscle contractions which are blocked at some level of the motor system by inhibitory mechanisms. We first assemble data from neuroimaging studies that demonstrate that the neural networks mediating MI and motor performance are not totally overlapping, thereby highlighting potential differences between MI and actual motor execution.We then review MI data indicating the presence of subliminal muscular activity reflecting the intrinsic characteristics of the motor command as well as increased corticomotor excitability. The third section not only considers the inhibitory mechanisms involved during MI but also examines how the brain resolves the problem of issuing the motor command for action while supervising motor inhibition when people engage in voluntary movement during MI.The last part of the paper draws on imagery research in clinical contexts to suggest that some patients move while imagining an action, although they are not aware of such movements. In particular, experimental data from amputees as well as from patients with Parkinson’s disease are discussed.We also review recent studies based on comparing brain activity in tetraplegic patients with that from healthy matched controls that provide insights into inhibitory processes during MI. We conclude by arguing that based on available evidence, a multifactorial explanation of motor inhibition during MI is warranted.