PURPOSE This study examined the relations among role modeling, sports confidence, and perfectionism to provide foundational insights into nurturing positive sports confidence in student swimmers. METHODS The survey included a total of 237 middle and high school swimmers registered with organizations under the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee. The analysis included data from 231 participants after excluding 6 insincere responses. The construct validity of the measurement tools was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, while the basic characteristics of the measured variables and their interrelations were examined using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Moderating effects were tested using PROCESS Macro Model 1. RESULTS First, role modeling (r =.274–.471, p <.05) and perfectionistic striving (r =.301–.428, p <.05) showed a positive relation with sports confidence. Second, perfectionistic concern (r =−.056 to −.218, p <.05) was negatively associated with sport-confidence. Third, in the relation between role modeling and sports confidence, the moderating effect of perfectionistic concern was not significant whereas that of perfectionistic striving was statistically significant(ΔR 2=.019, p <.05). CONCLUSIONS Perfectionistic striving may play a positive role in enhancing student swimmers’ sports confidence. Specifically, striving for perfection may facilitate sports confidence improvement among athletes who observe and emulate their role models’ performance and behaviors.
PURPOSE This study aimed to develop and examine the applicability and effectiveness a psychological conditioning program based on the principle of periodization as an alternative to conventional problem-focused and short-term psychological skills training. It intends to systematize and support the long-term regulation of the psychological preparation of golf and soccer players. METHODS The study followed the six-step procedure of the Intervention Mapping Protocol. It recruited 16 professional athletes (7 golfers and 9 soccer players) during the development phase and an additional 20 athletes (9 golfers and 11 soccer players) for the subsequent implementation and evaluation phases. Program effectiveness was assessed as follows. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain indepth insights into the program’s impact (qualitative evaluation), and, the Test of Performance Strategies-2 and a condition measurement tool were administered (quantitative evaluation). RESULTS The qualitative findings indicated that the program supported athletes in better regulating anxiety, reducing negative thoughts, and recovering more quickly from mistakes. The quantitative results demonstrated significant improvements in athletes’ psychological skills and overall condition levels. CONCLUSIONS This results indicate that undergoing a periodized psychological conditioning program can effectively enhance athletes’ psychological skills and support the maintenance of psychological homeostasis. For a broad implementation, a structured support system should be established to replace one-time interventions, thus enabling continuous feedback and practical application to help athletes sustain optimal psychological states during competition.
