Comparing the mental skills of injured and uninjured elite male student athletes

Abstract

BAC KGRO UND: Mental skills are important aspects of successful sport performance and distinguish elite athletes from the less elite ones. This study was designed to compare the mental skills of injured with the uninjured athletes participating in a college student sport Olympiad. Methods: This case-control research compared the mental skill of injured versus the uninjured athletes participating in the sport Olympiad by using OMSAT -3. Thirty-four elite male student athletes who were injured during the competitions were compared with 34 other elite athletes who were not injured in the same Olympiad. Both groups completed OMSAT -3 questioner. SPSS: PC 16.0 software was employed to analyze the data and independent t-test was used to compare the two groups. RE SULT S: The result of analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the majority of sub-scales of mental skills of the two groups (P<0.05). The uninjured athletes scored higher on the sub skills of self-confidence, commitment and goal setting in addition to stress reactions, relaxation, activation, imagery, mental practice and competition plan. CO NCL USIO NS: The result of this study showed that mental skill is an important aspect of sport performance and may play a role in protecting the athletes against sport injury. Further research is needed to determine whether such differences is present among other league competitions. (Cite this article as: Khosravi G, Vakili Z, Sayyah M, Sharif M, Seghatoleslami A. Comparing the mental skills of injured and uninjured elite male student athletes.