Gangyan Si

ISSP Position Stand: Culturally competent research and practice in sport and exercise psychology

The multicultural landscape of contemporary sport sets a challenge to rethink sport and exercise psychology research and practice through a culturally reflexive lens. This ISSP Position Stand provides a rigorous synthesis and engagement with existing scholarship to outline a roadmap for future work in the field. The shift to culturally competent sport and exercise psychology implies: (a) recognizing hidden ethnocentric philosophical assumptions permeating much of the current theory, research, and practice; (b) transitioning to professional ethics in which difference is seen as not inherent and fixed but as relational and fluid; and (c) focusing on meaning (instead of cause) in cross-cultural and cultural research projects, and cultural praxis work. In the paper, we first provide an overview of the concepts of cultural competence and ethics of difference. Second, we present a step-by-step approach for developing a culturally competent project rooted either within cross-cultural or cultural research. Third, we focus on cultural praxis as a project that blends theory, research, and lived culture of practice. Finally, we summarize main points in nine postulates and provide recommendations for enhancing cultural competence in the field of sport and exercise psychology.

Psychometric Properties of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II for Chinese College Students and Elite Chinese Athletes:

The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II (AAQ-II) across two samples of Chinese college students (n = 183 and n = 366) and a sample of elite Chinese athletes (n = 330). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the existence of a unidimensional AAQ-II. Adequate internal consistency reliability, test–retest reliability (one-month interval), factorial validity, and nomological validity with mindfulness, well-being, positive and negative affect/mood for both students and athletic samples were demonstrated. The AAQ-II also showed incremental validity in college students in explaining variances of well-being, positive and negative affect, anxiety, and depression, beyond the mindfulness measure. Most important, factorial invariance of the AAQ-II was demonstrated across male and female college students as well as across male and female athletes. Partial factorial invariance was also demonstrated across adolescent and adult athletes. Overall, results of this study suggest that the Chinese version of the AAQ-II may be a useful self-report measure of experiential avoidance in Chinese college students and elite Chinese athletes.

International society of sport psychology position stand: Athletes’ mental health, performance, and development

Mental health is a major resource for athletes in relation to their performance and development. Concurrently, athletes experience additional mental health risk factors compared to non-athletic population, such as high training loads, tough competitions, and a stressful lifestyle. Contemporary statistics demonstrate a substantial growth in athletes’ mental health-related problems, such as concussion, overtraining, and identity crisis. Therefore, the International Society of Sport Psychology through this Position Stand provides support to sport psychology researchers, practitioners, sport participants, and stakeholders in understanding: (a) mental health phenomenon based on continuum-type models outlining mental illness (prevalence vs. absence) and mental health in association with peak performance, (b) major findings of research dealing with athletes’ performance, career and personal (e.g. identity) development in relation to mental health issues, and (c) interventions aimed at monitoring and maintaining athletes’ mental health as well as preventing various forms of mental ill-being. Five major sections reflect the logic outlined above (i.e. from definitions and theories to research and practice), complemented by 10 postulates summarising the International Society of Sport Psychology message intended to spur further discussions on how to make athletes healthier and, thus, more resourceful for (and through) sport.

Psychometric properties of the Brunel Mood Scale in Chinese adolescents and adults

Abstract Building on the work of Terry and colleagues (Terry, P. C., Lane, A. M., Lane, H. J., & Keohane, L. (1999). Development and validation of a mood measure for adolescents. Journal of Sports Sciences, 17, 861–872; Terry, P. C., Lane, A. M., & Fogarty, G. J. (2003). Construct validity of the Profile of Mood States-Adolescents for use with adults. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 4, 125–139.), the present study examined the validity and internal consistency reliability of the Chinese version of the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS-C) among 2,548 participants, comprising adolescent athletes (n = 520), adult athletes (n = 434), adolescent students (n = 673), and adult students (n = 921). Both adolescent and adult athletes completed the BRUMS-C before, during, or after regular training and both adolescent and adult students completed the BRUMS-C in a classroom setting. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) provided support for the factorial validity of a 23-item six-factor model, with one item removed from the hypothesised measurement model. Internal consistency reliabilities were satisfactory for all subscales across each of the four samples. Criterion validity was supported with strong relationships between the BRUMS-C, abbreviated POMS, and Chinese Affect Scale consistent with theoretical predictions. Multi-sample CFAs showed the BRUMS-C to be invariant at the configural, metric, strong, and structural levels for all samples. Furthermore, latent mean difference analyses showed that athletes reported significantly higher levels of fatigue than students while maintaining almost the same levels of vigour, and adolescent students reported significantly higher levels of depressed mood than the other three samples.

Assessing acceptance in mindfulness with direct-worded items: The development and initial validation of the Athlete Mindfulness Questionnaire

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to develop and validate a sport-specific mindfulness measure, the Athlete Mindfulness Questionnaire (AMQ), through 5 related studies using 4 separate samples of Chinese athletes. The AMQ is a 3-factor measure designed to assess mindfulness that reflects present-moment attention, awareness, and acceptance in a sport context. Methods In Study 1, an initial pool of items was generated based on previous literature, existing mindfulness scales, as well as interviews with and feedback from the athletes, coaches, and mindfulness experts. Initial support for the 3-factor structure of the AMQ was established via exploratory factor analysis in Study 2, and cross-validated through confirmatory factor analysis in Studies 3 and 4. In Study 5, a modified 3-factor AMQ with direct-worded acceptance items was examined in a fourth independent sample. Results Convergent and concurrent validities of the acceptance subscale failed to be established in Studies 3 and 4 which may be due to the inattention and confusion of the athletes whilst interpreting the reverse-worded items. A modified 16-item AMQ in Study 5 displayed satisfactory model fit and acceptable internal consistencies. Most importantly, convergent and concurrent validities of the 16-item AMQ were supported. The 3 subscales showed significant positive associations with mindfulness, flow, well-being, and positive affect and significant negative associations with experiential avoidance, burnout, and negative affect. Conclusion The AMQ is a psychometrically sound measure of mindfulness in a sport context. The importance of using direct-worded acceptance items is discussed.

Mindfulness and Burnout in Elite Junior Athletes: The Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance

Previous research suggests that mindfulness and experiential avoidance are negatively and positively related to athlete burnout, respectively. It is unknown, however, whether experiential avoidance functions as a mediator between mindfulness and athlete burnout. To address this gap, 387 elite Chinese junior athletes (M = 15.44 years, SD = 1.42) completed self-report measures of mindfulness, experiential avoidance, and athlete burnout. Findings provided cross-sectional evidence that experiential avoidance mediated the inverse association from mindfulness to each of the three burnout dimensions. No gender difference of these indirect effects was revealed. This study is the first to test the theoretical sequence in which mindfulness is associated with athlete burnout via experiential avoidance and provide additional support the adaptive nature of mindfulness.

Working with Chinese Olympic athletes in their national sport system: From the conceptual to a proposed research–practice integration

In order to reveal the socio-cultural environment’s impact upon Chinese athletes careers, the authors discuss the characteristics of the Chinese sport system (termed the Chinese Whole-Nation system) and within it, the related experiences of two successful Chinese Olympic athletes who developed in this system. From the perspectives of the two Chinese Olympic champions and the academic authors, the Chinese Whole-Nation system is summarised as having the following characteristics: (a) a centralised structure, (b) a medal-orientated, and (c) a semi-closed environment. Within the Chinese Whole-Nation system, elite athletes experience the psychological issues of growth of autonomy, medal-orientation pressure, and career transition crises. Derived from these three issues, the authors propose that in the Chinese national sport context, facilitating the relationships, dialectic thinking cultivation, and balancing the athletes’ and collective interests should be the focus for sport psychology practitioners. In relation to the broader discussion of this national sport system, the scholars then propose research topics and a methodological approach through which to engage in culturally safe research that can augment practice.

自我决定理论在中国人人群的应用 = The application of self-determination theory among Chinese populations

Self-determination theory(SDT; Deci Ryan,1985a; 2000) is a macro-theory of human motivation and personality.As one of the most important motivational theories,SDT has drawn a lot of interests among researchers from different countries and various disciplines.However,it has not received enough attention from Chinese researchers.The current study gave a systematic review on the literatures relating to SDT which published in both Chinese journals and English journals that with Chinese as participants.It is found that the Chinese papers are mainly review studies,whereas all English papers are empirical studies.In addition,most of these studies are related to education,sport and exercise,organization/management,and psychological health.Further studies should examine the application of SDT among Chinese populations in other fields and investigate the social and individual factors that influence Chinese peoples satisfaction of basic psychological needs,formation of goal content,and internalization of motivation.Self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985a; 2000) is a macro-theory of human motivation and personality. As one of the most important motivational theories, SDT has drawn a lot of interests among researchers from different countries and various disciplines. However, it has not received enough attention from Chinese researchers. The current study gave a systematic review on the literatures relating to SDT which published in both Chinese journals and English journals that with Chinese as participants. It is found that the Chinese papers are mainly review studies, whereas all English papers are empirical studies. In addition, most of these studies are related to education, sport and exercise, organization/management, and psychological health. Further studies should examine the application of SDT among Chinese populations in other fields and investigate the social and individual factors that influence Chinese people’s satisfaction of basic psychological needs, formation of goal content, and internalization of motivation.

A three-stage adversity coping model for Chinese athletes

ABSTRACT In this article, the authors discussed the development of a three-stage model of adversity coping in which Chinese athletes were categorized into three stages: climb, plateau, and enlightened stage. Specific, stage-related sport psychology services are recommended in this model. Particularly, sport psychology practitioners are encouraged to assist climb-stage athletes with mental skills and achievement motivation and help coaches establish an empowering motivational climate. Rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) and acceptance and mindfulness skills are recommended to help plateau-stage athletes overcome irrational and negative beliefs and habits. Finally, sport psychology services provided to enlightened-stage athletes should focus on developing an appreciation of the meaning and value of a sporting career, as well as enhancing work-life balance.

The characteristics of developmental process of Chinese elite coaches

The purpose of this study is to investigate the developmental process of Chinese elite coaches who have grown up in the whole nation system from the personal and social perspectives. Thirteen elite coaches from Mainland China and four elite coaches from Hong Kong were interviewed. Grounded theory was employed to analyze the transcribed verbatim of all coaches’ interviews. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews varying from 90 to 120 minutes were conducted with these seventeen elite coaches. Those from Mainland China have trained athletes who had won gold medals at world-level competitions, for instance, Olympic Games and World Championships; whilst those from Hong Kong have trained athletes who had won gold medals at Asia-level competitions or above, for instance, Asian Games and Asian Championships. All interviewees have at least 10 years of coaching experience and were coaching during the period of this research being conducted. The four Hong Kong