what is sport psychology

Sport psychology is the study of how psychological factors influence sports, athletic performance, exercise, and physical activity. It is an interdisciplinary science that draws on knowledge from many related fields including biomechanics, physiology, kinesiology, and psychology. Sport psychology involves the study of how psychological factors affect performance and how participation in sport and exercise affects psychological and physical factors. Sport psychologists teach cognitive and behavioral strategies to athletes in order to improve their experience and performance in sports. They also help non-athletes and everyday exercisers learn how to enjoy sports and stick to an exercise program. In addition to instruction and training of psychological skills for performance improvement, applied sport psychology may include work with athletes, coaches, and parents regarding injury, rehabilitation, communication, team building, and career transitions. Sports psychologists specialize in individual or group interventions for optimizing the mental and psychological factors that influence performance. They use techniques like goal-setting, imagery, or self-talk to help clients manage their mental and psychological thought processes to perform optimally on the field. Clinical psychologists go deeper by working with athletes on issues like anxiety, depression, or substance abuse.