Research article - (2021)20, 586 - 593
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2021.586
The Effectiveness of Psychological Workshops for Coaches on Well-Being and Psychomotor Performance of Children Practicing Football and Gymnastics
Dominika Wilczyńska1,, Anna Łysak-Radomska2, Magdalena Podczarska-Głowacka2, Wojciech Skrobot2, Katarzyna Krasowska2, Ewelina Perzanowska2, Tomasz Dancewicz3, Patrycja Lipińska4, Will G. Hopkins5
1Faculty of Physical Education, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Poland
2Faculty of Rehabilitation and Kinesiology, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Poland
3Faculty of Finance and Management, WSB University in Gdansk,
4Institute of Physical Education, Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland
5Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

Dominika Wilczyńska
✉ Faculty of Physical Education, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Poland
Email: domiwilczynska@gmail.com
Received: 14-09-2020 -- Accepted: 30-06-2021
Published (online): 01-10-2021

ABSTRACT

Coach workshops based on seven principles (inspiration, explanation, expectation, support, reward, appreciation, growth and winning) enhance the sport experience of adult athletes. Therefore, we have investigated the effects of such workshops with coaches of child athletes. Study participants were coaches of 57 9- to 12-year old girls (practicing gymnastics) and boys (practicing football). Three coaches of 28 children attended three workshops over 12 weeks, while a control group of 5 coaches of 29 children attended no workshops. Measures of well-being and psychomotor performance were taken on the children before and after the intervention; differences in mean changes between intervention and control groups were adjusted for baseline, standardized, and assessed with a conservative magnitude-based decision method. There were clear substantial effects of the workshop on motivation averaged across several dimensions (girls, large, most likely beneficial), on a decision test (boys, small-moderate, very likely beneficial), on state anxiety self-reflection (girls, moderate, likely harmful), and on reaction time (boys, small, possibly harmful). The beneficial effects of the workshop in this pilot study are encouraging, but the unclear and potentially harmful effects and the roles of presenter- and coach-specific effects need to be investigated further with a representative sample of coaches and more children before the workshop is recommended for implementation.

Key words: Psychology, motivation, youth, testing, coaching

Key Points
  • Coaches of girls practicing gymnastics and boys practicing football took part in a pilot controlled trial of workshops based on principles of positive psychology.
  • There were some beneficial effects and some potentially harmful effects on well-being and psychomotor performance of the children. Some effects were unclear.
  • A larger study is justified to clarify more outcomes and to investigate modifying effects of presenter, coach and child characteristics.








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