The benefit of Athlete Self-Report Measures
The benefit of Athlete Self-Report Measures (ASRM) to athletes has been highlighted once again by some of the leading experts in Sports Science. Anna E Saw (Centre for Sport Research (CSR), Deakin University, Australia), Luana C Main (Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University, Australia), Sam Robertson (Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL), Victoria University, Australia) and Paul B Gastin (Centre for Sport Research (CSR), Deakin University, Australia), have recently published a report entitled Athlete Self-Report Measure Use and Associated Psychological Alterations which will be of huge interest to those involved in sport, particularly at elite level, as it findings suggest that the use of an ASRM may increase an athlete’s self-awareness, satisfaction, motivation, and confidence. Another significant factor is that while the study was strictly independent, it used the Metrifit system to carry out its analysis. The authors highlight the fact that monitoring behavior helps improve future behavior and increase motivation, through the following benefits:-
Increased self awareness
Not only does the data collected increase an athlete’s self-awareness, but this is something that is enhanced by the very intention to engage with the process of self-reporting. The study quotes one athlete who states:
An ASRM lets you reflect on yourself at that moment. You actually have to think about what you’re doing, and all your plans, and how you’re actually treating your body
Evaluation
The authors point out that using ASRM will help an athlete to identify the things they do well along with the things they don’t do well, adding that evaluation of behaviors and well being against goals and personal standards will determine the degree of satisfaction an athlete has for their current preparation. According to one athlete’s response
When I see how much I have done, I commend myself for my efforts. This is important as it helps me stay positive
Motivation
An athlete’s motivation can be stimulated by this level of satisfaction, and equally they can be motivated by a sense of dissatisfaction if they are not achieving their goals.
Confidence
Self-reporting can inspire confidence in an athlete through the knowledge that they have prepared as best they can and that they have achieved their goals in terms of preparation. As one coach pointed out, this can be a huge source of confidence when it comes to performance.
One of the guys is quite keen to be able to say to himself when he sits on the start line: ‘Have I done everything I possibly could?’. And if he says ‘yes’ every day to that point, then he’s confident to race
Method of study
The basis of the study was to further investigate the belief that the act of completing an ASRM will increase athlete self-awareness and ownership of their preparation which may lead to better training and performance-related behaviors. It was carried out on a total of 396 athletes who completed the baseline measures of which 335 (85%) returned to complete one or more follow-up surveys. Athletes (32.9 ± 14.3 years, 61% male) reported their participation level as recreational (19%) or competing at a club or university (32%), regional (24%), national (19%), or international (6%) level. Using the Metrifit system the athletes evaluated self-awareness, satisfaction, motivation and confidence. Additional factors which may influence compliance and psychological state surveyed at each time point included current training phase (volume, intensity, time to competition), and time lost to injury or illness in the past four weeks, were also taken into consideration.
Benefits to athletes
The authors sum of their findings as follows:
Athletes who use an ASRM to self-monitor their behaviors and perceived well being may experience changes in various psychological indices. In the present study, athletes experienced a temporary decrease in satisfaction and intrinsic motivation following four weeks of ASRM use. This disruption may provide a useful prompt to improve behaviors. Athletes who persisted with ASRM use experienced increased confidence and extrinsic motivation. Increased confidence is a positive predictor of behavior change, supporting the potential for ASRM use to lead to improved training and performance-related behaviors. Novice athletes and those who were instructed to use an ASRM were less responsive to ASRM use. These athletes may still benefit from ASRM use provided they have, or develop, the motivation, knowledge, and skills to use the information gleaned from an ASRM effectively. Practitioners may facilitate this process by supporting the athlete to self-monitor and self-regulate their behaviors. These preliminary findings support a potentially valuable role of athlete self-report measures in psychological well being and self-regulation which warrants further investigation
About Metrifit
Metrifit is an athlete monitoring system that gathers subjective and objective information from both coaches and athletes in a simple but effective manner with intelligent visualization helping coaches and athletes to act on that data. Metrifit prides itself on its simple intuitive interface and advocates a simple effective approach that doesn’t overwhelm the athlete or the coaching/staff member. It has received high praise for its intuitive interface and it allows monitoring to be scaled for all levels of athletes and teams. Metrifit is ‘athlete-centric’ helping to develop self-awareness, encourage creative thinking and emotional intelligence as well as developing ownership and responsibility within the athlete for their own success. To find out more visit our Metrifit Product Overview page or get in touch for a free demo.
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Graham Williams
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Jennifer McIntosh
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Director of Olympic Strength & Conditioning
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Kevin Schultz
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