Efficacy, mechanisms of change, and the scientific development of sport psychology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2009
Abstract
The development and acceptance of any scientific discipline requires an ever-expand-ing and maturing empirical base. Yet despite vast scientific progress in allied domains of professional psychology, the field of sport psychology has remained fairly stagnant in its research progress and has overlooked major advances that could aid in the advancement of the discipline. This article discusses important issues related to the lack of efficacy of the traditional and long assumed “gold-standard” interventions for the enhancement of athletic performance, and compares the field’s empirical base to sister disciplines in psychology. Further, the lack of empirical studies examining rate of change, moderators of change, and mediators (mechanisms) of change is discussed, and suggestions are provided for a new research agenda in sport psychology that could expand its professional credibility and enhance its overall scientific development.
Publication Title
Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology
First Page Number
139
Last Page Number
155
DOI
10.1123/jcsp.3.2.139
Recommended Citation
Gardner, Frank L., "Efficacy, mechanisms of change, and the scientific development of sport psychology" (2009). Kean Publications. 2403.
https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/keanpublications/2403