Volume 6, Issue 8, August – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Systematic Analysis on Psychological Skills

Affecting the Performance of Para Athletes
Rasagna Reddy and Dr. Pavithra.G
Department of Counselling Psychology, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (Deemed to be University),
Kelambakkam, Chengalpattu Dist., Chennai – 603 103, India

Abstract:- The review summarises the literature on the disabled individuals participate more in physical activities
mental health (psychological skills) of Para athletes. when compared with able-bodied individuals (Walsh, 2018)
There have been various studies done on the hindrances The popularity and the awareness of para-sports seem to
that occur due to the athlete’s physical disability for grow a lot, one of the main reason being engagement of
Para athletes but there has been very limited research disabled people into sports, as it would improve their
done on how the psychological skills affect their physical and mental health as a whole, allowing them to
performance and what can be done to improve them. socialise better which in turn would give them a positive
This article would help in exploring paucity in this area mental health and social outlook (Torralba Jordán, 2017).
of research and take in suggested directions for future
research. A systematic search of Research gate, PubMed, In each country and culture disability is treated
Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, was done using the differently so it affects the participation of athletes who are
search terms such as mental health of Paralympics, capable also. Participation and achievements of these para-
Psychological skills, Sports performance enhancement, athletes encourage further participation by others by making
Para-athletes. A total of 162 articles seemed to be them see the ability in the disability of a person (Misener,
relevant at the initial screening out of which 45 articles 2013). Para athletes usually tend to have high intrinsic
addressed the Paralympics and psychology specifically motivation (Banack, 2011) Despite the efforts taken by the
published from 2004 to 2020. Most of the studies government of India there is still a lot of disabled population
reviewed were done on a small scale mostly using tools who are interested in sports but take a step back. There are
that were either not standardised or only consisting of various situations that para-athletes need to constantly deal
few parameters such as 4 to 5. There is a need for with such as sports overuse, risk behaviour, functional
inquiry and further research in finding the psychological limitations, psychological stressors, the normalised pain,
skills needed for enhancement in sports performance, health hazards, individual possibilities to prevent sports-
how to coach these athletes so they can imply it in their related injuries and unequal prerequisites (Fagher K., 2016).
daily practice and routine and psychological health of So there is a need for psychological skills training for the
Para-athletes. athletes who are taking part in para-sports to improve their
performance and to encourage more participants to take part.
Keywords:- Mental Health of Para-Athletes, Psychological
Skills, Para-Athletes, Sports Performance Enhancement. Psychological skills
‘‘Psychological skills training (PST) refers to the
I. INTRODUCTION systematic and consistent practice of mental or
psychological skills to enhance performance, increase
Paralympics is an international sports event which is enjoyment, or achieving greater sport and physical activity
for athletes from all over the world with a wide range of self-satisfaction’’ (Weinberg RS, 2007). It is important to
disabilities. These Paralympic games are governed by the educate an athlete on the importance of psychological skill
IPC (International Paralympic Committee). The training for performance enhancement. Only when the
participation and success of para-athletes have significantly athlete has an interest and understands that it is important for
increased in the past few years especially in India. the play they will learn and imply these skills better. Even
Paralympics started in 1960, since then the number of though there is a lot of physical practice and hard work
athletes participating in the Paralympics has increased being done it is equally important to have good mental skills
drastically, from 400 athletes representing 23 countries at for optimal performance incorporated into everyday practice
the first Paralympic Games in Rome to approximately 4,000 and training sessions (Dominteanu, 2017).
athletes from 146 countries at the 2008 Summer Paralympic
Games in Beijing (International Paralympic Committee, Need for psychological skills for para-athletes
2009). There was also an increase in participation, There are various studies related to the importance of
improvised training and importance given to para-athletes physical and mental training for athletes (Omar-fauzee,
after the success achieved in Rio Olympics 2016 (Indu 2010) (Hanton, 2012) (Allan, 2018) (Holmes, 2008) (Lim,
Mazumdar, 2020). The studies have represented very limited 2018) (Brown, 2017) but there is a paucity in research done
data regarding the psychological skills of disabled on psychological skill training for para-athletes (Lim, 2018).
individuals in any physical activity and revealed that It is essential to train the athletes with the psychological

IJISRT21AUG027 www.ijisrt.com 1
Volume 6, Issue 8, August – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
skills to perform at their full potential and prepare better for sensorial, perceptual and affective characteristics, that are
settings that are psychologically challenging (Mesagno, primarily under the conscious control of the imager and
2008). There are numerous studies done focusing on para- which may occur in the absence of perceptual afference
athletes with intellectual disability and not on athletes with functionally equivalent to the actual sporting experience
various other disabilities (Gorely T, 2012). Para-athletes (Holmes, 2008). The imagery was known to be the most
have a very high level of competitive psychological and used mental skill training technique by the coaches as they
physical desire to achieve in their sport (Omar-fauzee, felt that was very useful for athlete’s performance
2010). Yet there is a greater level of challenges and stress enhancement. Out of the other theories on how mental
other than playing the match itself which the para-athletes imagery works in sports, psych neuromuscular which is
undergo such as: muscle memory, symbolic learning theory which is the
a) Difficulty in travelling as their travel time is extended mental blueprint and bioinformatic theory is known to be the
more than the others causing stress as they board the vehicle most important of all others (Amasiatu, 2013).
first and exit last plus the travel time (Hanton, 2012)
b) shifting from seat to wheelchair and back often, restroom Talking or instructing oneself during a competition or
usage during the long travel and at the competition arena match is called self-talk. Self-talk is generally known as
(Martin, 1996), self-communication which a person uses in any situation. It
c) difficulty of being away from home and social support for can be negative or positive self-talk based on the situation
a long time which would have a negative impact on which can sometimes turn into belief (Paul Holmes, 2008).
performance (Omar-fauzee, 2010) It has been seen during competition player talks to
d) Stress due to misclassification of their disability either him/herself to motivate or scold. In sport psychology,
with an athlete with a higher or lower level of disability researchers and practitioners started researching self-talk
which would affect their performance. (Martin, 1996) after the cognitive revolution in the 1970s (Kokun, 2020).
There are different types of self-talk such as instructional
For para-athletes to face such challenges and reach their and motivational which are effective based on the task to be
goal despite all the socio-cultural pressure putting them performed. A task that required an athlete’s attention to do
down, causing decreased sport participation, they need to precisely was done better with instructional self-talk.
have good psychological skills to cope with all the stressors. Whereas, a task that needed athletes to have a good level of
The Paralympic Games are conducted involving the strength and endurance would require these athletes to be
competition among a wide range of disabled individuals trained in motivational self-talk to be beneficial
where, understanding the psychological aspects of these (Hatzigeorgiadis, 2006).
Para sport athletes for performing well in their sports (Allan,
2018) becomes important. A lot of emphases should be The strength of an athlete’s desire to achieve a goal is
given to the psychological health of the para-athletes equal understood to be motivation and the need that requires
to the amount of importance given to their physical health as satisfaction. It is the reason for a para-athletes effort to
their physical dependence on someone for their practice and attain their goals. Only if the athlete is
requirements also needs some mental skills to cope (Van de motivated, they would put in the effort to achieve and show
Vliet, 2012). enhanced performance without which all the other mental
components such as focus, confidence, intensity and
Clough defines mental toughness as “the capacity of emotions would be of no use. In sports, motivation is very
an individual to deal effectively with stressors, pressures and important because only if the athletes are motivated towards
challenges, and perform to the best of their ability, a goal, they will work hard and endure pain, fatigue and
irrespective of the circumstances in which they find injury (Girish, 2019). Successful athletes usually tend to
themselves” (Sorensen, 2016). It is very important to show high intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. But when
understand and have a good level of mental toughness for compared to able athletes, para-athletes were driven more by
any athlete which would help in their performance intrinsic motivation than extrinsic to perform (Szemes,
enhancement (Singh., 2017). observed through the studies 2017). There is a great need for every athlete to be
that certain psychological aspects affect the athlete’s motivated to achieve and especially intrinsic motivation is
performance when the competition gets challenging. comparatively more important than extrinsic motivation for
Athletes can bring up the game to the highest level even at a an athlete to perform better (Balyi, 2013).
tough point if they have mental toughness (Crust, 2005)
which not only increases their ability to concentrate under Importance in India
pressure but also helps with the necessary focus on the goal. India is a sport-loving country with different sports
There is also a considerable amount of research done that cultures, but mental toughness training which is essential for
says that mental toughness is one of the most important optimising the performance is not given much importance
skills an athlete should have such that it can determine the (Joshi, 2020). There is a need for research on psychological
success of that athlete or the way they would perform (Liew, skills and how to enhance the mental ability of Para athletes,
2019). especially in India as we are emerging in Paralympics at the
global level (Harada, 2011).
Imagery, in the context of sport, may be considered as
the neural generation or regeneration of parts of a brain
representation/neural network involving primarily top-down

IJISRT21AUG027 www.ijisrt.com 2
Volume 6, Issue 8, August – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
The Parasport athletes do not find themselves lesser in Psychology, Disability Sport, Clinical Sport Psychology and
any physical aspect when compared with the performance of Handbook of sport Psychology. Data from these sources
the able-bodied athletes. The enhancement of cognitive and were referred to and tabulated.
psychological skills among sports athletes has added value
to their well-being and athlete performance (Allan, 2018). Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
For studies to be included In this review they were: a)
There is a greater need in India for awareness that Research, review and viewpoint articles, b)article that
mental skill training is used to enhance performance and a consists of research studies done on athletes only with
sports psychologist can be approached just for performance physical disabilities, c)Studies consisting of both male and
enhancement rather than only when there is a mental female para-athletes were considered, d)Participants of all
problem or psychopathology. Despite the awareness of the the studies were in the range of 15 to 55, e)Both qualitative,
importance of psychological skill training for better quantitative and mixed analysis articles were included,
performance some of the athletes and coaches are hesitant as f)Each study consists of the use of psychological or mental
they feel it would create a negative image on them (Sridhar, skills for performance enhancement and some studies show
2010). the importance of these skills in performance enhancement
of para-athletes. A few other studies show its growth and
II. METHOD importance in India, g) To have recent and updated data
showing the importance of mental skills for para-athletes as
Search Strategies sports psychology is given more importance now than
Two search strategies were used: An electronic search previous years, articles only beyond the year 2008 were
into ResearchGate, Khel journal, PubMed, Journal of considered. Studies were excluded from this review if a)
exercise rehabilitation, ScienceDirect for articles on Para athletes with any kind of mental disability were part of
psychological skills in para-athletes and their effect on their the sample, b) no clear specification if the athlete’s
sports performance. A manual search was conducted with performance was enhanced due to physical or mental
the help of the following books and journals: Applied Sport training.

III. RESULTS

Study Selection

Fig 1

A total of 162 articles were screened from The majority of studies were cross-sectional and
ResearchGate, PubMed, Journal of exercise rehabilitation, purposive sampling. Most of them were of quantitative
ScienceDirect and various other search engines. Of these design (n=31), though there were some qualitative
articles, 46 titles were excluded as they weren’t related to investigations (n=14). The studies differed in sample size,
psychological skills and included athletes with a mental ranging from 3 to 120 participants. There are different areas
disability which are irrelevant to this systematic review. into which the identified literature was grouped. These
From Fig 1 after this level of screening a total number of 45 consist of 1) mental toughness, 2) motivations 3) Self-talk 4)
articles was included in this review article. mental imagery 5) coping with stress 6) Psychological skills

IJISRT21AUG027 www.ijisrt.com 3
Volume 6, Issue 8, August – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
in para-athletes 7) Awareness of skills 8) Willingness to chances of scoring consecutive points or winning was more
getting trained in psychological skills. (r =.39, p < .01) (RG., 2016).

There were various questionnaires used to test the Imagery

psychological skill of the athletes. Achievement motivation Even visual impairment does not become a barrier for
scale was used in certain research articles to find the psychological skills such as mental imagery which improved
relationship between sports result and pre-competition the performance of six goalball athletes after they were
mental state (Koper, 2020) Competitive state anxiety interviewed (Eddy, 2013). Another six-goalball female
Inventory 2 CSAI-2 was used to measure cognitive anxiety, visually impaired athletes were given intervention for 6
somatic anxiety and state of self-confidence, Athletic months on mental imagery skills where they won the match
Coping Skill Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) was used to measure and qualified to the next level as they felt they understood
the athletes coping skills before and during the competition each other and communicated better which helped them in
(Szájer, 2019) where it was found that female Para- enhancing their performance (Larsen, 2014). Performance
swimmers scored lower than able-bodied female swimmers anxiety was also reduced with the use of imagery (Brown,
on self-confidence, somatic anxiety, freedom from worry, 2017). It was also known to positively influence the level of
and self-confidence/achievement motivation. There was a motivation and didn’t show any significant difference
study done where the mental state was assessed of para- between the early and late blinded athletes as they only
athletes to know the relationship between the pre- differed in the techniques, they used to imagine the
competition mental state and the results of the competition. coordinates (Vanlierde A, 2004).
Purposive sampling was done using a scale such as Self-
efficacy for sports activity scale, Achievement motivation Self-talk
scale (AMS), State trait anxiety inventory (STAI) (Koper M. When para-athletes are given Intervention on self-talk
&., 2020). An improvement was seen on cognitive, it was effective on their performance and has enhanced the
emotional variables in the para-athletes after the intervention performance of the athletes when properly designed,
was done after testing. To know the level of psychological administered and trained (Hatzigeorgiadis A. Z., 2005).
skill usage assessment was done using the Test of Self-talk cues were used while performing a task (M = 5.95
performance scale (TOPS) and it was obtained that para- and 6.12) for instructional and motivational self-talk cues,
athletes (sitting volleyball) players scored better in self-talk, respectively; range from 4.00 to 7.00 for both instructional
goal setting, imagery and relaxation when compared to the and motivational Self-talk). Self-talk helped in the reduction
able athletes in both practice and competition (Esatbeyoglu, of the occurrence of interfering thoughts, enhancing
2018). Three national table tennis players were interviewed concentration on the task and overall enhancing sports
and tested using TOPS (Test of performance scale) to assess performance (Hatzigeorgiadis A. Z., 2005).
the effects of psychological skill training which increased
their level of performance, but these results could not be Motivation
generalized as this study used only three samples and para- Sports Motivation Scale (SMS 6) was used to measure
athletes were all of the same disability (Lim, 2018). The the motivation level difference between able and para-
para-athletes face challenges such as the inability to deal athletes where there is no statistical significance between
with pressure, lack of concentration due to increased able athletes and differently-abled athletes concerning
physical and mental stress. Each athlete used their technique motivation and its domains, except for Identified
to increase their mental strength based on their Regulation. As the value for Identified Regulation, t=-2.393
understanding which was clear after the interview as 26 of (p <0.05), is statistically significant at 95% level of
100 athletes considered trusting or believing in self as an confidence. It can be understood that there is a higher level
important aspect of mental strength and the next 25 athletes of motivation in para-athletes who have identified and
thought staying focused was an essential part of it. Many accepted their disability (Girish, 2019).
athletes were not aware of mental strength as a skill to be
learnt rather they felt it was just a belief. There is a need for The psychological skills of para-athletes and able-
athletes as well as coaches to be aware of the positive bodied athletes do not have much difference and is known to
impact mental strength has on performance (Joshi, 2020). be very similar, which in turn can be understood that sports
have a positive impact on the para-athletes physically which
Mental Toughness keeps them impair with the able athletes (Ljubica
After testing with the Mental toughness inventory, it Baĉanac1). It’s proven that para-athletes who take part in
was found that the level of mental toughness increased as sports would also have a positive effect on the overall
the years of experience was more in a sport as well as the quality of their own life (Bolach, 2014). The learning
athletes age increased. It was also found that mental process and motor skills of the athletes are enhanced with
toughness can be studied both ways as elite athletes showed the help of psychological and cognitive skills which in turn
a higher level of mental toughness and resilience and it was helped the athletes in handling the competitive pressure
also obtained that athlete who had a high level of mental (McCarthy, 2010). When the athletes are trained on their
toughness would have enhanced performance (Méndez- psychological skills, they would imply it in their training
Alonso, Prieto-Saborit, Bahamonde, & Jiménez-Arberás, and competition phase which would show improved
2021). A higher level of mental toughness was associated performance. So, if these psychological skills are learnt and
with a greater likelihood of winning (r = .52, p< .01) also practised well during the training session it would be more

IJISRT21AUG027 www.ijisrt.com 4
Volume 6, Issue 8, August – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
helpful for the athletes during the competition in showing know what skill is lacking so they could work in
the enhanced performance (Abou Elmagd, 2016). collaboration with a sports psychologist to train the athlete
better on these skills that would enhance their performance.
IV. DISCUSSION Since the para-athletes are increasing in number now than
before there is a need to emphasise more on training athletes
For an athlete to reach their optimal performance or on psychological skills on par with physical training that
practice to their best capacity as well as gain pleasure from would enhance their performance and also help them cope
that activity despite all the challenges they face, it's with the challenges they face.
important for these athletes to need to be psychologically
strong. Most of the athletes are not provided with or Training on the psychological skills is necessary not
encouraged to take up psychological skills training during only for the beginner level athlete but also for a Paralympian
their practice. So, the para-athletes completely depend on at the highest level of competition because athletes always
their innate psychological skills to cope with any situation go through a certain amount of stress during practice and
where a few athletes are good at it. most of the para-athletes competition. It is also needed to have better focus, coping
tend to harm their performance due to the lack of these skills concentration, resilience and enhanced performance. Despite
and the support it provides. During a competition or for all the advancements and awareness that’s created on the
practice there is a need for the presence of strong importance of psychological skills, many athletes are still
psychological skills in the athletes to face the challenges trained physically and no mental training is given. This
they come across. Especially, when para-athletes are happens to athletes due to a lack of awareness of its
considered, there is a greater need to be trained on their importance or because of the choice they make as the
psychological skills along with their physical training as athletes believe psychological skills are only for para-
their level of challenges faced are even higher when athletes who need psychological assistance rather than for a
compared to able athletes. general performance enhancement. So, for performance
enhancement, this culture has to change where both physical
Para athletes face challenges right from the beginning and psychological training is given equal importance.
of participation in any sport and even after they’ve reached
the elite level. There are various situations that they find REFERENCES
difficult to cope with such as longer travel time than the
other athletes, more physical exertion during practice even if [1]. Abou Elmagd, M. (2016). General psychological
it’s with aid, more proneness to injury and fear, being factors affecting physical performance and sports.
dependent on someone for their needs. These cause the para- International Journal of Physical Education, Sports,
athletes stress and anxiety even before the competition and Health, 3(5), 255-264.
which can hamper their performance for which they need [2]. Allan, V., Smith, B., Côté, J., Ginis, K. A. M., &
some psychological training to cope with it. And just before Latimer-Cheung, A. E. (2018). Narratives of
the competition or during it they need to be trained on their participation among individuals with physical
psychological skills such as mental imagery, peaking under disabilities: A life-course analysis of athletes'
pressure, coping with stress, quick decision making, mental experiences and development in parasport. Psychology
toughness, self-talk and various others which would not only of Sport and Exercise, 37, 170-178.
help them in enhancing their performance but also practice [3]. Amasiatu, A.N. (2013). MENTAL IMAGERY
for a longer time effectively. From the literature, it is known REHEARSAL IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL
that despite all these challenges and stress faced by the para- TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCING SPORTS
athletes they still tend to participate more in sports PERFORMANCE.
competitions due to the pleasurable experiences gained from [4]. Aryan Joshi (2020). A Study on Mental Strength
it such as social acceptance, improved self-image, Among Popular Athletes and Para-athletes.
acceptance and close friendship which improves their [5]. Banack, H.R., Sabiston, C.M., & Bloom, G.A. (2011).
outlook on life. So, to have more para-athletes take part in Coach Autonomy Support, Basic Need Satisfaction,
sports which would, in turn, improve their entire outlook on and Intrinsic Motivation of Paralympic Athletes. Res
self and the world, there is a need for psychological skill Q Exercise Sport, 82 (4), 722-730.
training which would help them cope with the stress and https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2011.10599809
challenges they face as it would decrease the number of [6]. Balyi, I., Way, R., & Higgs, C. (2013): Long term
dropouts and increase participation. There is also a greater athlete development. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL.
need for these skills as it would help in recovering from [7]. Bolach, B., & Prystupa, T. (2014). Evaluation of
injury and the mental stress caused by it and in the perception of quality of life of disabled
rehabilitation of an athlete where they would get back to the athletes. Physical Education of Students, 18(1), 13-16.
competition quickly as their recovery time has reduced. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.903687
[8]. Brown, Daniel & Fletcher, David. (2017). Effects of
The findings suggest that psychological skills have a Psychological and Psychosocial Interventions on
major impact on the performance of para-athletes, yet not Sports Performance: A Meta-Analysis. Sports
much research is done as to how these skills can be further Medicine. 47. 77-99. 10.1007/s40279-016-0552-7.
tested and enhanced in the athletes. It is important for the
coaches also to be aware of how to test the athletes and

IJISRT21AUG027 www.ijisrt.com 5
Volume 6, Issue 8, August – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
[9]. Cowden RG. Competitive Performance Correlates of of Human Sport and Exercise. 16.
Mental Toughness in Tennis: A Preliminary Analysis. 10.14198/jhse.2021.162.17.
Percept Mot Skills. 2016 Aug;123(1):341-60. DOI: [24]. Koper, Magdalena & Nadolska, Anna & Urbański,
10.1177/0031512516659902. PMID: 27502244. Piotr & Wilski, Maciej. (2020). Relationship between
[10]. Crust, Lee & Clough, Peter. (2005). Relationship Pre-Competition Mental State and Sport Result of
between Mental Toughness and Physical Endurance. Disabled Boccia Athletes. International Journal of
Perceptual and motor skills. 100. 192-4. Environmental Research and Public Health. 17. 8232.
10.2466/PMS.100.1.192-194. 10.3390/ijerph17218232.
[11]. Dominteanu, Teodora. (2017). The Role of [25]. Larsen, Carsten Hvid. (2014). Preparing for the
Psychological Preparation in the Performance Sports European Championships: A Six-step Mental Skills
Activity. Moldavian Journal for Education and Social Training Program in Disability Sports. Journal of sport
Psychology. 1. 7-13. 10.18662/mjesp/2017.0101.01. psychology in action. 10.1080/21520704.2014.971989.
[12]. Eddy, Kate & Mellalieu, Stephen. (2003). Mental [26]. Liew, G., Kuan G., Chin. N., Hashim H. (2019).
Imagery in Athletes with Visual Impairments. Adapted Mental toughness in sport. Systematic review and
Physical Activity Quarterly. 20. 347-368. future. German Journal of Exercise and Sport
10.1123/apaq.20.4.347. Research, 49:381–394.
[13]. Esatbeyoglu, Ferhat & Campbell, Mark. (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-019-00603-3.
Mental Skill Usage of Athletes with Physical [27]. Lim, Tae-Hee & Jang, Chang-Yong & O’Sullivan,
Disabilities. Turkish Journal of Sport and Exercise. David & Oh, Hyunkyoung. (2018). Applications of
27-38. 10.15314/tsed.368137. psychological skills training for Paralympic table
[14]. Fagher K., Forsberg A., Jacobsson J., Timpka T., tennis athletes. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 14.
Dahlström Ö, Lexell J. (2016). Paralympic athletes’ 367-374. 10.12965/jer.1836198.099.
perceptions of their experiences of sports-related [28]. Ljubica Baĉanac1, Bojana Milićević-Marinković2,
injuries, risk factors and preventive possibilities. Eur. Goran Kasum3, Marjan Marinković, COMPETITIVE
J. Sport Sci. 16 1240–1249. ANXIETY, SELF-CONFIDENCE AND
10.1080/17461391.2016.1192689 PSYCHOLOGICAL SKILLS IN TOP ATHLETES
[15]. Girish, R., & Periasamy, A. (2019). A comparative WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES: A PILOT
study on motivation between differently-abled and STUDY  UDC 796:159.922.73.
abled athletes. [29]. Martin, Jeffrey & Mushett-Adams, J.. (1996). Social
[16]. Gorely T, Jobling A, Lewis K, Bruce D. An evaluative Support Mechanisms among Athletes with Disabilities.
case study of a psychological skills training program Adapted physical activity quarterly: APAQ. 13. 74-83.
for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Adapt Phys [30]. McCarthy, P. J., Jones, M. V., Harwood, C. G., &
Active Q 2002;19:350-363 Olivier, S. (2010). What do young athletes implicitly
[17]. Hanton, Sheldon & Wagstaff, Christopher & Fletcher, understand about psychological skills?. Journal of
David. (2012). Cognitive appraisal of stressors Clinical Sport Psychology, 4(2), 158-172.
encountered in sport organizations. International [31]. Méndez-Alonso, D.; Prieto-Saborit, J.A.; Bahamonde,
Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 10. 276- J.R.; Jiménez-Arberás, E. Influence of Psychological
289. 10.1080/1612197X.2012.682376. Factors on the Success of the Ultra-Trail Runner. Int.
[18]. Harada, C. M., Siperstein, G. N., Parker, R. C., & J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2704.
Lenox, D. (2011). Promoting social inclusion for https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijerph18052704.
people with intellectual disabilities through sport: [32]. Misener, Laura & Darcy, Simon & Legg, David &
Special Olympics International, global sports Gilbert, Keith. (2013). Beyond Olympic Legacy:
initiatives and strategies. Sport in Society, 14(9), 1131- Understanding Paralympic Legacy Through a
1148. Thematic Analysis. Journal of Sport Management. 27.
[19]. Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., & Theodorakis, Y. 329-341. 10.1123/jsm.27.4.329.
(2005). Self-Talk: It works, but how? II. An [33]. Mesagno, Christopher & Marchant, Daryl & Morris,
investigation on self-talk functions. Tony. (2008). A Pre-Performance Routine to Alleviate
[20]. Hatzigeorgiadis, Antonis. (2006). Instructional and Choking in "Choking-Susceptible" Athletes. Sport
motivational self-talk: An investigation on perceived Psychologist. 22. 10.1123/tsp.22.4.439.
self-talk functions. Hellenic Journal of Psychology. 3. [34]. Omar-fauzee, Mohd sofian & Mohd. Ali, Manisah &
164-175. Soh, Kim & Norazillah, Ibrahim. (2010). Participation
[21]. Holmes, P. S., & Calmels, C. (2008). A neuroscientific Motive in the Paralympics. Journal of Alternative
review of imagery and observation use in sport. Perspectives in the Social Sciences. 1.
Journal of Motor Behavior, 40, 433–445. [35]. Paul Holmes, Claire Calmels. A Neuroscientific
[22]. Indu Mazumdar, Dr. Chetna Chaudhary. Challenges Review of Imagery and Observation Use in Sport.
and Opportunities at Paralympics. Int J Yogic Hum Journal of Motor Behaviour, Taylor & Francis
Mov Sports Sciences 2020;5(2):27-30 (Routledge), 2008, 40 (5), pp.433-445.
[23]. Kokun, Oleg & Serdiuk, Liudmyla & Shamych, ff10.3200/JMBR.40.5.433-445ff. ffhal-01576439f.
Oleksandr. (2020). Personal characteristics supporting
Paralympic athletes’ self-realization in sports. Journal

IJISRT21AUG027 www.ijisrt.com 6
Volume 6, Issue 8, August – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
[36]. Sorensen, S. , Schofield, G. and Jarden, A. (2016). A
Systems-Approach Model of Mental Toughness:
Understanding Inputs, Processes and Outputs.
Psychology, 7, 1402-1423. DOI:
10.4236/psych.2016.712141
[37]. Sridhar, Chaitanya. (2010). Sports psychology in
India. British Journal of Sports Medicine - BRIT J
SPORTS MED. 44. 10.1136/bjsm.2010.078725.190.
[38]. Szemes, Ágnes & Szájer, Péter & Toth, Laszlo.
(2017). Sport motivation and perceived motivational
climate among members of a national para-swimming
team. Cognition, Brain, Behavior. An Interdisciplinary
Journal. 21. 307-319. 10.24193/cbb.2017.21.19.
[39]. Szájer, Péter & Toth, Laszlo & Szemes, Ágnes &
Nagy, Nikoletta & Zala, Borbala & Köteles, Ferenc &
Szabo, Attila. (2019). A comparative analysis of
national Olympic swimming team members’ and para-
swimming team members’ psychological profiles. 23.
299-311. 10.24193/cbb.2019.23.17.
[40]. Torralba Jordán, M., Vieira, M., & Rubio, M. (2017).
Motives for the practicing sports of Spanish
Paralympic athletes. Revista De Psicologia Del
Deporte, 26(1), 49-60.
[41]. Van de Vliet, P. (2012). Paralympic athlete’s health.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 46, 458-459.
[42]. Vanlierde A, Wanet-Defalque MC. Abilities and
strategies of blind and sighted subjects in visuo-spatial
imagery. Acta Psychol (Amst). 2004 Jun;116(2):205-
22. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2004.03.001. PMID:
15158183.
[43]. Vijender Rathi and Dr. Poonam Singh. International
Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health
2017; 4(3): 217-220
[44]. Walsh, D., Belton, S., Meegan, S., Bowers, K., Corby,
D., Staines, A., ... & Sweeney, M. R. (2018). A
comparison of physical activity, physical fitness levels,
BMI and blood pressure of adults with intellectual
disability, who do and do not take part in Special
Olympics Ireland programs: Results from the SOPHIE
study. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 22(2), 154-
170.
[45]. Weinberg RS, Gould D. Foundations of sport and
exercise psychology, 4th edn. Champaign, Illinois:
Human Kinetics,2007

IJISRT21AUG027 www.ijisrt.com 7