Coaches' Attitiudes Toward Sport Psychology Consultation - Research Paper Example

Attitudes towards sport psychology will influence whether or not an athlete will utilize and practice sport psychology skills (Greaser, 1992). Therefore, it is likely that coaches’ attitudes towards sport psychology will influence their decision whether or not to employ sport psychology services with their athletes. The sport psychology field needs to determine a way to break entry barriers with coaches to help them use sport psychology services with their teams and athletes.Sport psychology consultants need to be sensitive to the individual characteristics of athletes and the sports in which they play to decrease help-seeking barriers and facilitate help-seeking behaviors (Martin, 2005).

In turn, sport psychology consultants may also need to be sensitive to the individual characteristics of coaches and the sports in which they are involved. Investigating attitudes with different types of sports should be considered when assessing attitudes towards sport psychology consultation (Martin, 2005). Martin (2005) recognized that the types of sport, such as contact versus non-contact sports, athletes are socialized into playing a role in whether or not help is wanted from a sport psychology consultant.

That is, if athletes are socialized into, for example, a contact sport, this may play a role in whether the athletes will have a stigma towards seeking sport psychology services. This study will collect data at a Minnesota high school coaches’ clinic for girls’ basketball. It was found that athletes in physical contact sports (i.e. basketball) and physical non-contact sports had differences in their attitudes (Martin, 2005). Martin (2005) recognized that the types of sport, such as contact versus non-contact sports, athletes are socialized into playing a role in whether or not help is wanted from a sport psychology consultant.

That is, if athletes are socialized into, for example, a contact sport, this may play a role in whether the athletes will have a stigma towards seeking sport psychology services. This study will collect data at a Minnesota high school coaches’ clinic for girls’ basketball.