For the 4th Quarter Consult, you will use what you learned in Modules 12 & 13 to assess and resolve the following situation.
You are a Sport Psychologist and are contacted by 60 Minutes Sports to provide an expert opinion in response to a recent story they aired called “Youth Sports Injury Report.”
First, watch the “Youth Sports Injury Report” so you are familiar with the content. (Video is posted at the bottom.)
Then, prepare a response using the following guidelines. Make sure to answer all parts. Your response can either be in paragraph form or outline/bullet form. Use the lecture notes and discussion videos from Modules 12 & 13 in your response. Do not use any other sources. (Note: One concept addressed in the video that has not directly been addressed in this class is sport specialization. Sport specialization is characterized by an athlete’s intense training in one sport most of the year.)
Explain how stress can lead to injury, in general. 8pts
Describe the Stress & Injury Model. Cite the lecture title and slide number(s) where you found the information (if taken from the lecture video, provide the video title and timestamp).
List at least 2 responses to stress, and how those responses could lead to injury. Cite the lecture title and slide number(s) where you found the information (if taken from the lecture video, provide the video title and timestamp).
Explain how psychological factors associated with youth sport specialization mediate the stress response. (Put on your thinking cap here. The course content did not directly speak to this, but [course content + your brain] can get you to the answer.) 10pts
Name 2 personality traits that these youth athletes might possess, and explain how those traits can influence injury. Cite the course material that you used to develop your answer.
Describe how the athlete’s history of stressors can influence injury. (Note: This isn’t asking about history of injury. Specifically address the impact of exposure to stressors over time.) Cite the course material that you used to develop your answer.
- Select one of the athletes shown in the 60 Minutes video and explain how psychological factors related to youth sport specialization contributed to their injury (keep it focused on the psychological, not the physical).
Provide psychological recommendations for reducing the risk of injury among these athletes. 8pts
Name 2 coping resources/interventions, and explain how these will help the athlete decrease the risk of injury. Cite the lecture title and slide number(s) where you found the information (if taken from the lecture video, provide the video title and timestamp).
- Keep it focused on psychology here. We know that physical interventions such as good equipment can reduce the risk of injury, but that does not relate to this course. Use what you have learned in this course.
Choose one Model of Burnout and apply it to youth sport specialization. 10pts
- Explain the model you selected. Cite the lecture title and slide number(s) where you found the information (if taken from the lecture video, provide the video title and timestamp).
According to that model, why are athletes who specialize in a sport (like the athletes in the video) more likely to experience burnout? Cite the lecture title and slide number(s) where you found the information (if taken from the lecture video, provide the video title and timestamp).
- Explain symptoms of burnout. 8pts
Name 2 physiological symptoms of burnout, and explain what coaches and parents can do to recognize those symptoms (i.e., how they can tell if the athlete is experiencing the symptom). Cite the lecture title and slide number(s) where you found the information (if taken from the lecture video, provide the video title and timestamp).
Name 2 psychological symptoms of burnout, and explain what coaches and parents can do to recognize those symptoms (i.e., how they can tell if the athlete is experiencing the symptom). Cite the lecture title and slide number(s) where you found the information (if taken from the lecture video, provide the video title and timestamp).
- Provide 2 psychological recommendations for decreasing the risk of burnout among youth athletes who specialize. 6pts
This was not addressed directly in the course content, but given what you have learned, you have the expertise in sport psychology to figure it out. Think!
- 60 Minutes Sports: Youth Sports Injury Report