We would like to sincerely congratulate Samantha Hart, a second year Master’s student in the FF-TIP Lab, who has officially defended her Master’s thesis! Sam impressed her committee with her thesis about the effects to instructional and motivational self-talk on psychological and performance outcomes of young artistic gymnasts.
Samantha began by explaining the phenomenon of attrition in competitive sports and the specific physical and psycho-social stressors that young artistic gymnasts face that lead them to dropping out. She then introduced self-talk as a cognitive tool that can help young athletes manage anxiety from competitive pressure, maintain concentration during complex motor tasks, and improve performance. Within the sports context, there are two distinct types of self-talk that have been explored: motivational (words of encouragement) and instructional (step-by-step goal-directed statements) self-talk. By comparing a 1-hour for 1 week and a 1-hour for 3 weeks intervention, Sam tested the differential effects of instructional and motivational self-talk in competitive gymnasts’ anxiety, confidence, and performance.
We’re so proud of all Sam’s hard work and perseverance. We can’t wait to see what’s next as she continues researching emotion regulation while completing her PhD. Way to go, Sam!
FF-TIP LAB 