Athletes are confronted with a variety of stressors, challenges, and adversities, external (e.g., hostile crowds, referee errors, challenged by an opponent, sport and life balance) and internal (e.g., fatigue, self-doubt, emotional instability), which are characteristic of the training and competition contexts of sport. Some athletes manage these demands or challenges positively, either having a smooth
Mental health has been described as the emotional and spiritual resilience that enables people to enjoy life and to survive pain, disappointment, and sadness. It is fundamental to health and well-being and is more than the absence of symptoms of mental illness. Mental illnesses are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood
Mental rehearsal is an umbrella term that covers several techniques used by athletes and exercisers to improve performance. It happens covertly and without any actual movement and typically involves the representation of an action or behavior using nonverbal (e.g., imagery, observation) or verbal processes (e.g., self-talk). For example, an athlete may think (in the “mind’s
Multimodal mental training, also known as mental skills training or psychological skills training (PST), involves educating athletes, coaches, and exercisers on the effective use and implementation of psychological techniques and skills that are associated with sporting and exercising excellence. Discussed here are the goals of such interventions; common components of multimodal mental training; and phases
A mental block is the inability to cognitively process thoughts or recall information. The effect can potentially interfere with performance. Sometimes confusion, lack of action, or indecision can occur with mental blocks. Performers of all ages, backgrounds, and activities can experience a mental block in varying degrees of severity. The block may be caused by
Mental health courts (MHCs) are specialty courts designed to divert adults with mental illnesses from jail into behavioral health services. At any given time, the large and growing number of persons with mental illnesses in jails and prisons and under community supervision arrangements (i.e., probation and parole) presents significant challenges to mental health and criminal
Mental health screening refers to the administration of a measure (typically self-report or interview) to offenders entering a criminal justice agency for the purposes of identifying those offenders who have a mental illness. Screening is necessary to ensure that appropriate interventions can be administered or referrals to community resources can be made. This topic is
Mental health screening refers to the administration of a brief measure to children and adolescents entering a juvenile justice agency for the purposes of identifying individuals who have a mental health problem or behavioral health concern. Screening ensures that mental health treatment or interventions to prevent self-harm are given to juvenile offenders who are in
While screening can include a wide range of activities (e.g., laboratory tests, genetic screening), in the criminal justice system screening typically refers to a brief, but systematic process to aid in the detection of mental illness. Screening tools can often be administered by nonmental health professionals, including correctional officers. They may also be self-report questionnaires
International research evidence has suggested that persons with mental health problems are overrepresented within criminal justice systems. This is a matter of significant concern for professionals and policy makers involved in law enforcement, courts, community supervision of offenders, and the management of correctional institutions. Mental health treatment refers to interventions intended to ameliorate problems in