Pete Lindsay

A Strengths-Based Consultancy Approach in Elite Sport: Exploring Super-Strengths

There is a lack of literature documenting strengths-based approaches in sport psychology. This study explored how a super-strengths approach has been implemented by sport psychologists (n = 7) and coaches (n = 8), with UK elite athletes. Findings were categorized into 3 general dimensions: defining super-strengths, identification methods, and phases of development. Super-strengths were defined as a strategy for performance, utilizing a potential worlds-best resource to gain a competitive edge. Identification methods were subjective (e.g., asking/observing athletes) and objective (e.g., performance analysis). Participants emphasized 3 development phases: preparation, adaptation and monitoring. Findings offer considerations for implementing a strengths-based approach and future research.

Doing sport psychology briefly? A critical review of single session therapeutic approaches and their relevance to sport psychology

Recent research in sport psychology has noted the potential importance of providing sport psychologists with a systematic approach to solve problems in settings constrained by time and pressure. To this end, a growing body of single session therapy (SST) research exists within psychotherapeutic literature and other domains of support work from which sport psychology might take both theoretical and practical guidance. In this article, we review the extant SST literature to provide a rationale for the potential systematic exploration of such therapeutic approaches within sport psychology. The article contextualizes SST as a therapeutic approach and summarizes the characteristics and effectiveness of these approaches via a critical review of descriptive and outcome-focused SST studies. Finally, the article discusses the potential relevance, applicability, and implications of SST approaches to applied sport psychology and addresses future directions for research.

The effect of manipulating training demands and consequences on experiences of pressure in elite netball

Testing the efficacy of a pressure training framework (Stoker, Lindsay, Butt, Bawden, & Maynard, 2016), the present study investigated whether manipulating training demands and consequences altered experiences of pressure. Elite Netballers (Mage = 26.14 years) performed a Netball exercise in a randomized, within-subject design with four conditions: a control, consequences, demands, and demands plus consequences condition. Compared with the control, self-reported pressure was significantly higher in the consequences and demands plus consequences condition but not in the demands condition. The findings provide mixed support for manipulating demands and strong support for manipulating consequences as a means for producing pressure.

Perceptions of Engaging with a Super-Strengths Approach in Elite Sport

Strengths-based approaches (underpinned by positive psychology) are scarcely documented in sport. This study explored perceptions of a strengths-based approach (termed super-strengths) on psychological characteristics and performance in elite sport. Semistructured interviews were conducted with athletes (N = 12) who had previous experience of working with a sport psychology practitioner on super-strengths. Thematic analysis of the data indicated that super-strengths had a positive influence on athletes’ mind-set, confidence (e.g., self-belief), clarity of purpose (e.g., goal direction), drive, coping ability, and performance. Findings highlight the potential benefits of adopting strengths-based approaches in sport, and recommendations for future research are provided.