Charles J. Hardy

The Social Support Survey: A Validation Study of a Clinical Measure of the Social Support Process

Social support is a complex process with far-reaching implications for social work practice. This article presents a practice model of the social supportprocess, detailing its four components (i. e., provider, recipient, interaction, and outcomes), and a measure of the social support process based on the practice model and developed for clinical use. The model and clinical assessment instrument should facilitate understanding the support process and developing client interven tion strategies.

An Examination of the Life Stress-Injury Relationship among Noncontact Sport Participants

This study was designed to determine if life stress is predictive of athletic injury among male and female participants in intercollegiate noncontact sports. The Athletic Life Experiences Survey (ALES) was administered to 86 athletes from the sports of baseball, softball, tennis, and track before the start of the season. After the administration of the ALES, injury frequency and severity were recorded for all practices and contests. The results indicated that total life change (TLC) and negative life change (NLC) were significant (p less than .05) predictors of athletic injury frequency. When partitioned by sex and sport, females and track athletes showed significant (p less than .05) predictive relationships, with TLC the significant predictor for females and object loss (OL) for track athletes. No significant predictive models were found for severity of injury. These results suggest that life stress is predictive of the frequency of injury among noncontact sport participants, particularly for track and female athletes.

Strategies for enhancing social support networks in sport: A brainstorming experience

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to explore strategies coaches and sport psychologists could implement to affect the type and level of social support provided student-athletes. A brainstorming activity with a group of coaches and sport psychologists was utilized to generate suggested methods. These strategies are summarized, consolidated and presented within the framework of a descriptive model of the social support network of student-athletes as suggested by Rosenfeld, Richman, and Hardy (1989).

Ready, Aim, Fire … Relaxation Strategies for Enhancing Pistol Marksmanship

Although many types of relaxation techniques are available, definitive data are needed to examine their effectiveness. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of a 6-week program of visuomotor behavior rehearsal, and a control on slow fire, timed fire, rapid fire, and composite (total) pistol-shooting performance of 15 male and 15 female undergraduates. A 3 treatment (Transcendental Meditation, Visuomotor Behavior Rehearsal, Control) × 2 (Trial 1, 2: Pretest, Posttest) randomized design was used to examine the data. The visuomotor behavior rehearsal group showed a consistent increase from pretest to posttest on all four types of pistol-shooting performance. Results were discussed in relation to cognitive and somatic types of relaxation and their effect on specific sport skills.

Neuroendocrine Responses of Type A Individuals to Exercise

Ten Type A and 10 Type B individuals exercised for 20 minutes on a bicycle ergometer at 40%, 60%, and 80% of maximal capacity to determine if differences in neuroendocrine reactivity exist. Pre-exercise plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin and epinephrine were similar for Type As and Type Bs. Pre-exercise plasma levels of norepinephrine tended to be higher for the Type As (p less than 0.07). Post-exercise plasma epinephrine concentrations were similar for As and Bs for all trials. The 40% and 60% trials resulted in no differences in post-exercise norepinephrine and beta-endorphin levels for the Type As and Bs. Conversely, the 80% trials resulted in significantly greater norepinephrine and beta-endorphin concentrations for the Type As (p less than 0.05). Plasma serotonin levels at rest and during exercise were always lower for the Type As (p less than 0.05). These results suggest that our Type As had a greater neuroendocrine response to high-intensity exercise than our Type Bs. The greater reactivity and analgesia may allow the Type A person to suppress feelings of fatigue, thus enduring higher levels of exertion for longer periods of time.