PurposeThis study was designed to compare the effects of two different relaxation techniques, namely progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and autogenic relaxation (AGR) on moods of young soccer players.MethodsSixteen adolescent athletes (mean age: 14.1 ± 1.3) received either PMR or AGR training. Using Profile of Mood States- Adolescents, their mood states were measured one week before relaxation training, before the first relaxation session, and after the twelfth relaxation session.ResultsMixed ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effects and no significant main effects in any of the subscales. However, significant main effects for testing sessions were found for confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscales. Post hoc tests revealed post-intervention reductions in the confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscale scores.ConclusionThese two relaxation techniques induce equivalent mood responses and may be used to regulate young soccer players’ mood states.

The present study was undertaken to develop and validate a questionnaire measuring teaching processes related to physical education (PE) enjoyment. Scanlan and Lewthwaite's (1986) youth sport enjoyment model provided the theoretical foundation for this work. Content validity and item readability of the instrument were established by obtaining feedback from eight experts in psychology and four highly experienced secondary school teachers. Construct validity was then established by conducting exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on data from 304 secondary school students (grades 8, 9, and 10). As a result of these analyses, six teaching processes related to PE enjoyment were identified: self-referent competency (four items), other-referent competency (four items), teacher-generated excitement (three items), activity-generated excitement (five items), peer interaction (two items), and parental encouragement (two items). Correlation analyses revealed that all of these processes were positively correlated with PE enjoyment. The weakest correlation was between peer interaction and enjoyment (r = .31, p < .05), and the strongest was between activity-generated excitement and enjoyment (r = .83, p < .05). We believe that the instrument is appropriate for studying affective outcomes within physical educational settings among students in grades 8, 9, and 10.

The studies included in this review have been divided into four major broad categories. The first category comprises studies which involved the early conceptualization of mental toughness. The second category consists of studies that utilized qualitative approaches on mental toughness. The third category includes studies that used quantitative approaches. This review considers both qualitative and quantitative approaches to the study of mental toughness with

Purpose: The present study investigated the psychometric properties of a Malaysian adapted Brunel Mood Scale. Methods:The questionnaire was administered to 355 young sport athletes with a mean age of 14.69 + 1.70 years. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach's alpha were used to determine the factorial validity and the internal consistency of the questionnaire respectively. Results:CFA results revealed adequate model fit, best represented by a 6-factor model with one of the items removed (item 24). Internal consistency of the questionnaire was marginally supported through alpha reliability method. Alpha coefficients of 0.72, 0.64, 0.73, 0.69, 0.65, and 0.58 were obtained for tension, depression, anger, vigour, fatigue and confusion subscales respectively. Closer inspection of items for confusion revealed a 'problematic' item (item 24/uncertain). Removing this item increased the alpha coefficient to 0.67 for this subscale. Conclusion:It was concluded that this questionnaire may be used to measure differentiated negative and positive mood states among Malaysian adolescent athletes. However, further analyses involving independent samples are needed to confirm the present findings.

It can be conceived that 12-session of training should be considered when prescribing relaxation regimens as a nonspecific clinical treatment (i.e. for healthy students).