ABSTRACT
Many approaches have been developed over the years to assess the nature and effects of mental skills for performance enhancement in sport, and to identify those factors that were most critical for sporting excellence. Some of these approaches which could be useful in gymnastics included the following: consulting with mental trainers or sport psychologists, coaches and/or colleagues using existing psychological instruments (Bernier & Fournier, 2007; Mahoney, 1979, 1989; Nideffer, 1988), interviewing of athletes (Orlick & Partington, 1988; Ravizza & Rotella, 1982), and observing gymnasts’ behaviours in sport settings (Salmela et al., 1979).
