Sports Psychology Professionals ✓ Solved

Sports Psychology Professionals

Sports Psychology Professionals

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSIONALS 1 SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSIONALS 12 Sports Psychologists’ Ethics Tony Williams Argosy University Pamela Fitzpatrick 1 April 2018 Abstract The primary role of sports psychologists is to foster good performance and to avoid unruly behaviors in associated teams. This paper seeks to identify the ethical concerns that should be considered in the performance of sports psychologists, their relationship with stakeholders and sports participants as well as the challenges they face with consequential outcomes resulting from a violation of given ethical standards. For instance, a discussion of approaches to sports performance is discussed with respect to the enablement theory that is used in ‘activation’ of non-functional aspects of sports people.

Of more importance are the relationships that exist between the institutions of sports, the sports psychologists as well as the sports participants. Aspects of athlete violation in institutions are discussed as a factor of moral erosion within institutions due to their crude strategies that aim at achieving and benefiting from students in an exchange for educational offers. Some of the students rarely attain the required standards of their lives since their talents have much been exploited earlier on in institutions of higher learning. Seemingly, the situation is not as such subject to improvement because the ethical standards have been compromised by both the institutions as well as the governing bodies and sports psychologist who should be in the forefront in the fight against impunities which make the sports people disappointed and end up in terminal disorders that severely affect their lives and future performance in sports.

Some are subjected to mental torture after their managers collude with their advisors for their own benefit while leaving the player in anguish. Exploitation and irresponsibility are always central in such incidents with the therapists guiding players hypocritically since the underlying motives and outcomes are well known to them. The entire scenario is unworthy before any ethical institution and thus subject to a lengthy study and discussion. Literature review Professional boundaries of sports psychologist and solutions to potential problems Sports psychologists from one of the kinds training backgrounds ought to supply services, teach, and conduct studies simplest inside the limitations in their competence.

Hence, sports psychology specialists who are not aware of the ethical standards of their career can be involved in malpractices which result in the adverse fame of harming or exploiting the other party (Haberl & Peterson, 2006). In fact, if sports psychologists violate the ethical rules after with the aim of causing harm to their customers, they may be liable to face the infringement or risk of the expulsion from the expert associations. It is crucial to observe that experts and those interested in executed leisure sporting psychology are anticipated to take into account of getting to know the specific moral problems which have recently come about in this discipline (Silva, Metzler & Lerner, 2011).

Even as running with athletic teams and sports activities agencies which might always be small groups of individuals, leisure sports psychologists are necessarily maintained in common touch with athletes, coaches, and management staffs. The trouble derived from this near interaction may also be the look of dual relationships between sports and leisure psychologists and their clients. Commonly, a couple of links may also arise at some point of exercise and intervention in recreation psychology, possibly developing moral dilemmas for concerned events Even while imparting offerings to those elite athletes, for instance, the Olympic athletes, all of the game psychology specialists regularly have interaction and tour with the groups inside the schooling centers or at the avenue for competitions, in which long-term relationships are constructed up.

Practitioners are housed near the athletes, consume meals with the group, attend practices to take a look at, and impressions individually with athletes and coaches. Meanwhile, individual or group consulting and training offerings are furnished with the aid of game psychology practitioners, such as arousal/stimulation law, purpose placing, imagery, attention, management, and so forth. Majority of sport psychology professionals are possible to be employed in a few kinds of tertiary institutional settings, wherein the instructor-practitioner bi-position relationships might also arise more often than in different expert realms (Haberl & Peterson, 2006). However, the downside of this relationship has been observed that the sports psychology professional can also encounter time regulations from acting two separate roles.

This time drawback may additionally, in the end, compel the character to sacrifice the time necessary to obtain the obligations of both functions, thus impairing the proper dual operations in each region. It may even be difficult to deal with an interpersonal battle that happens among the group members a result of lack of another sports psychology expert being furnished (Smith & Bar-Eli, 2015). Wearing Multiple Hats The present competitors encounter an assortment of weights and stress with regards to games and sports. Numerous competitors, groups, and coaches are exploiting sports psychology professionals to help them in accomplishing their execution objectives.

In that capacity, influential therapists are winding up increasingly acknowledged as a general piece of the training and care staff for groups and individual competitors. It is perceived that the mind needs to function as ideally as the body for fruitful execution (Silva, Metzler and Lerner, 2011). A sports psychologist assumes a primary part in giving their athletes a psychological edge rather than a physical edge. While you may accept that therapists work with patients when they are having issues, yet in the realm of games, an expert will enable competitors to concoct mental methodologies so they can move beyond a level or beat challenges so they can perform well and handle the weight (O'Brien, 2000). It is evident that the practitioners of sports psychology go through a lot of the similar challenges like those of various executed real domains.

One of these demanding situations is ethical worries that have acquired attention these days within particular journals of sports psychology. Primarily, based on the angle of the American Psychological Association (APA), ethics is defined as the regulations or standards dealing with the behavior of participants. However, for the sports psychologists, there have been numerous moral issues which have emerged, where there may be a want to be cautious to keep exceptional services. The number primary subjects to consider consist of factors of confidentiality, practicing inside barriers of competence, utilization of knowledgeable agreement, terminating the practitioner-athlete -relationship, and lastly balancing more than one role and organizational needs.

In APA’s code of ethics (APA, 2002), psychologists are endorsed to keep away from getting into a couple of relationship with clients, to maintain confidentiality for clients, and to work within competence to lessen capability impairment of themselves or damage to the clients (Smith & Bar-Eli, 2015). The provision of sport psychology offerings to coaches, athletes, and other staff on the particular team seems unavoidable for the consultants, or the coaches to involve themselves in these multiple-role situations. For a sports psychologist, to provide quality services and to avoid ethical misinterpretation, defining boundaries and emphasizing confidentiality issues in addition to function expectations at the outset and during the connection is critical (Haberl & Peterson, 2006). Preferably, being capable of a partner with any other sports activities psychology representative at the same time as on the road would be an even higher solution to handling self-care issues on these devastating conditions.

It would undoubtedly assist to have a second individual available to higher avoid the dangers brought up by multiple interactive relations. For a coach, it will be even better to have a sports psychology consultant for the team. Although being a consultant-coach benefits convenience and efficiency, a diligent coach should provide professional and every kind of information to help the consultant develop appropriate mental training programs for his/ her team (Smith & Bar-Eli, 2015). Further, previous studies advocate that there may be consensus inside the area of sports psychology that more than one positional interactions may be ethical if handled appropriately. However, practitioners still need to be prudent when entering into a multiple-role linkage, along with interest paid to the caution symptoms that troubles may additionally exist.

Second, how to maintain confidentiality is a critical issue in the field of applied sports psychology. Sports psychologists need to learn the ethical guidelines regarding privacy in the AASP or local related organizations. Then, they are obligated to take reasonable precautions to maintain the confidentiality of their work and to keep everything secret unless they get permission from their clients (Silva, Metzler and Lerner, 2011). The growing recognition of the sector of implemented sports psychology along with the specific nature of its service transport model keeps raising questions on the way to high-quality offer offerings in a moral way. Importantly, even as game psychology provider provision can be perceived as being less formal than traditional psychology carrier delivery, recreation, as well as sports psychology providers, have not to be any less careful in their pursuit of moral exercise (Haberl & Peterson, 2006).

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Sports psychology professionals play a crucial role in enhancing athletic performance and ensuring ethical standards are maintained within sports settings. Their responsibilities include fostering mental resilience, managing stress, and promoting ethical behavior among athletes, coaches, and organizations. Ethical concerns in sports psychology revolve around maintaining confidentiality, boundaries of competence, dual relationships, and the exploitation of athletes. These issues are compounded by the close interactions between psychologists and athletes, often resulting in complex moral dilemmas.

One central ethical challenge is balancing multiple roles. Sports psychologists often serve as advisors, trainers, and confidants simultaneously, which can blur professional boundaries and lead to conflicts of interest. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), psychologists must avoid multiple relationships that could impair their objectivity and harm clients. Maintaining confidentiality is another critical ethical duty; psychologists must safeguard sensitive information unless explicit consent is provided (Silva, Metzler & Lerner, 2011). Failure to uphold these standards can result in harm to athletes, damage to professional reputation, and potential expulsion from professional bodies (Haberl & Peterson, 2006).

The close physical and professional proximity shared by sports psychologists with athletes can lead to dual relationships, creating potential conflicts. For example, psychologists may reside near athletes, observe their practices, and even socialize with them, increasing the risk of boundary violations. To mitigate these issues, sports psychologists should develop clear role definitions and adhere to established ethical guidelines from organizations such as the American Psychological Association and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

The theory of enablement is particularly relevant in sports psychology as it focuses on restoring or enhancing functional abilities. It emphasizes identifying behavioral impairments, such as anxiety or sleep disturbances, that impair athletic performance. By assessing these functional deficits, psychologists can tailor interventions aimed at behavioral activation and symptom reduction, thereby improving athlete performance and well-being (Whyte, 2014). This approach aligns with ethical practice by focusing on treatment that respects the athlete’s autonomy and promotes functional recovery.

Nevertheless, ethical dilemmas arise when institutional pressures prioritize performance over athletes' welfare. For instance, some management teams may collude with sports psychologists to exploit athletes through manipulative contracts or mental abuse, leading to mental torture and burnout. Student-athletes in educational institutions may be particularly vulnerable, as universities seek profits from athletic success, often at the expense of student welfare. Such exploitation underscores the critical need for sports psychologists to uphold ethical standards and advocate for athlete rights.

In conclusion, maintaining ethical integrity in sports psychology is vital for protecting athletes and ensuring the credibility of the profession. Clear boundaries, confidentiality, and a focus on functional well-being must underpin all interventions. By adhering to established ethical guidelines and applying relevant theories such as enablement, sports psychologists can effectively support athletes while upholding moral standards in the dynamic environment of competitive sports.

References

• Haberl, P., & Peterson, K. (2006). Olympic-size ethical dilemmas: Issues and challenges for sport psychology consultants on the road and at the Olympic Games. Ethics & Behavior, 16(1), 25-40.
• Jarvenpaa, S. L., & Tuunainen, V. K. (2013). Theoretical Elaboration of It Enablement Model in The Era of Customer and Community Digital Innovation. In ECIS (p. 224).
• National Collegiate Athletic Association, & Committee on Competitive Safeguards, & Medical Aspects of Sports. (2002). NCAA sports medicine handbook. NCAA.
• O'Brien, M. (2000). The team doctor, ethics, and media: what are the dos and don'ts? International SportMed Journal, 1(2).
• Silva, J. M., Metzler, J. N., & Lerner, B. A. (2011). Training professionals in the practice of sports psychology. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.
• Smith, D., & Bar-Eli, M. (2015). Essential readings in sport and exercise psychology. DIANE Publishing Inc.
• Whyte, J. (2014). Contributions of treatment theory and enablement theory to rehabilitation research and practice. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 95(1), S17-S23.