This study explored the efficacy of psychological skills and mindfulness training intervention on the psychological well-being of undergraduate music students. Participants were undergraduate music students (n = 36) from the Department of Music at a South African university, 21 of whom were elected to take the psychological skills and mindfulness training intervention. Data on their self-reported psychological well-being, psychological skills, mindfulness and performance anxiety levels were collected pre-and post-intervention. The analysis applied non-parametric procedures to determine changes in students' psychological well-being after the seven-week intervention program. Findings suggest improvements in psychological well-being, psychological skills, mindfulness and performance anxiety with training. Psychological skills and mindfulness training may have benefits to the psychological well-being of music students.

Objective. To determine the attitudes, beliefs and knowledge of talented young athletes residing in Gauteng regarding prohibited performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and anti-doping rules and regulations. Methods. This was a survey study using a quantitative research approach. South African TuksSport academy athletes at the High Performance Centre, University of Pretoria, and competitive high-school athletes at four private high schools in Gauteng completed the survey. A selfdetermined, structured questionnaire was used to establish the attitudes, beliefs and knowledge of the athletes. Results. A total of 346 (208 males, 138 females) athletes, mean (standard deviation) age 16.9 (1.4) years participated in the survey. According to this survey, 3.9% of the athletes in this survey admitted to using a prohibited PED and more than 14.0% of the athletes said they would consider using a prohibited PED if they knew they would not get caught. Ambition (46.0%) and emotional pressure (22.5%) were the primary reasons why the athletes would consider using prohibited PEDs. Even though coaches appeared to be one of the main sources of information (on PEDs and anti-doping rules), only 42.1% of the athletes felt that they were well informed. Conclusion. Controlling doping by means of testing is important. However, it may be necessary to put more emphasis on changing attitudes towards doping and implementing additional educational programmes.

The impact of psychological skills training (PST)

Aggression among young adolescents has reached dangerous levels in contemporary society, especially in the school context where acts of aggression have increased dramatically. According to experts, schools in South Africa have become one of the most dangerous places where violence varies from blunt assaults on learners to bite wounds and fire-arm related injuries. It is a well accepted notion in Sport and Social Sciences that sport is an extension of society and the problems in society are also the problems in sport, therefore the aggression problem in society naturally extends into sport. It is therefore, imperative for educators and researchers to look at new ways to contain and reduce aggression in young adolescents, as well as finding creative ways to improve the psychological well-being of learners in our schools. The aim of this investigation is to determine if Tae Kwon Do, as a special form of Martial Art, can reduce aggression levels and improve psychological well-being significantly in comparison with hockey participants and a non sport group. A survey method and two standardized questionnaires were used in this study namely, an Aggression Questionnaire and a Psychological Well-being Questionnaire. The research indicated the following: the Verbal Aggression and Hostility scores of the Tae Kwon Do participants were significantly lower than the hockey participants and non sport group. T he Personal Growth and Self-acceptance scores of Tae Kwon Do participants were significantly higher than the hockey participants and non sport group.

A sample of 41 male student rugby players (mean age: 21.87 ± 1.39 years) completed the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire (Kellmann & Kallus, 2001), Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (Raedeke & Smith, 2001) and Stellenbosch Mood Scale (Terry et al., 2003)