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According to social facilitation theory the presence of others affects individuals’ sporting performance. Although based on extensive research, the theory has been scarcely tested in real sporting environments. However, audience restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic offered rare opportunities to examine effects of spectators’ presence and absence on football players’ performances. To exploit these opportunities, we collected data on individual players’ performances in the English Premier League (47,541 player performances in matches from the start of the 2017/18 season to 23rd January 2022) and Swedish Allsvenskan (25,249 performances in the 2018-2021 seasons). Results show that players’ performances were significantly better in the presence than in the absence of an audience (and the effect of audience presence was moderated by playing home or away) in the Premier League, but not Allsvenskan. Conversely, the effect of audience presence was moderated by average attendance and average stadium filling in and the relative skill of the opponent in Allsvenskan, but not the Premier League. The differences in results could be at least partly due to contextual differences between the two leagues, particularly in the average quality of players (which is higher in the Premier League). The study extends understanding of the complex nature of social facilitation in football, and highlights needs for further rigorous investigation of the mechanisms underlying the detected effects.

I högre utbildning lär sig studenter inte enbart ämnesinnehåll – de socialiseras också in i en akademisk kultur där prestation, perfektion och erkännande spelar centrala roller. Denna kultur formar studenters självbild, känsla av tillhörighet och upplevelse av vad som krävs för att lyckas. I detta bidrag lyfter vi hur akademisk prestationskultur påverkar studenters välbefinnande, särskilt de som uppfattas som högpresterande.

Vi diskuterar hur undervisningspraktiker och återkoppling från lärare bidrar till att forma studenters måttstock för prestation, ofta utan att ge dem utrymme för utveckling av egna kriterier. Detta kan leda till ökad prokrastinering, impostorkänslor (känslan av att vara en bluff som riskerar att avslöjas) och en upplevelse av otillräcklighet. Samtidigt tenderar högre utbildning att uppmärksamma underprestation, medan överprestation ofta belönas utan reflektion kring dess konsekvenser.

Vi ställer frågor om vilken kultur vi i akademin bygger kring studier och framtida yrkesliv:

• Hur påverkar akademins normer studenters upplevelse av inkludering och självständighet?
• Vilka ideal reproduceras i undervisningen – och vilka risker medför dessa för studenters långsiktiga hälsa och ett hållbart arbetsliv?

I en enkätundersökning bland läkarstudenter vid Umeå universitet framkommer att mer än varannan student skattar en förhöjd eller mycket förhöjd risk för utmattning. Kvinnorna i studien skattade en signifikant högre risk för utmattning och samtidigt signifikant lägre psykologisk trygghet, sannolikt ett uttryck för kultur, normer och klimat i utbildningen. Psykologisk trygghet var negativt korrelerat med impostorkänslor (r=0.33, p<0.001). Resultaten understryker vikten av att vidareutveckla sätt att undervisa som bidrar till en psykologiskt trygg utbildningsmiljö genom tydligt kommunicerade förväntningar, uppmuntra studenter att ställa frågor och skapa fokus på lärande och konstruktiv feedback snarare än prestation och bedömning. Att stödja lärare att utveckla dessa undervisningsfärdigheter kan spela en avgörande roll för att förändra ohälsosamma normer och föråldrade ideal. Riktade interventioner kan öka studenternas känsla av psykologisk trygghet och minska förekomsten av impostorkänslor, stress och utmattning. 

Vi argumenterar alltså för att lärare aktivt bör motverka en kultur av perfektionism, och att det är särskilt viktigt inom professionsutbildningar som leder till ett arbetsliv med höga krav och stort ansvar. Vi avslutar med att konkret diskutera hur vi kan förbereda studenter för ett hållbart arbetsliv genom:

• undervisning i egenvårdsfärdigheter
• föregå med gott exempel genom att skapa socialt trygg arbetsmiljö för våra studenter
• interventioner på individ-, grupp- och organisationsnivå som inte pekar ut individen som svag

Slutsats:För att främja hållbart lärande och välbefinnande behöver vi uppmärksamma även den som presterar – och reflektera över vilken kultur vi tillsammans skapar i högre utbildning.

Emotion regulation strategies, specifically expressive suppression (ES) and cognitive reappraisal (CR), are known to influence mental health outcomes in the general population and adult elite athletes. Young elite athletes, who face unique academic and athletic pressures, remain understudied in this regard. The main aim of this study was to examine the relationship between ES and CR and mental health in young elite athletes. This longitudinal study included 93 young elite athletes (aged 15–17) attending upper secondary education in Sweden. Participants completed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire at three time points over 12 months. Linear mixed models were used to examine associations between ES, CR, and mental health. Higher use of ES was significantly associated with poorer mental health (β = 0.34, p < 0.001), while greater use of CR predicted better mental health (β = −0.33, p < 0.001) across the study period. Expressive suppression and CR are both important for the mental health of young elite athletes, with CR being protective and ES conferring risk. Given the observed associations, future research could examine whether interventions aiming to enhance CR and reduce ES are linked to better mental health in young elite athletes.

Athletes undergoing psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), is an understudied group. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of combining a single-case design (SCD) with ecological momentary assessment (EMA) throughout a CBT intervention with athletes. We conducted an SCD with multiple-baselines with three athletes seeking treatment at a university sports psychology clinic. EMA was employed with six daily questionnaires measuring positive and negative affect, and momentary context and activity for 105 days. A feasibility questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were conducted post-intervention to investigate the overall experience of participation and specific features of the design. Feasibility was determined by descriptively investigating the assessment frequency, questionnaire length, compliance, potential response patterns, and perceived burden of the sampling protocol. The three participants completed an average of 455 questionnaires with response rates of 48%, 73%, and 77%, respectively. Compliance varied more over weeks than within week or day. The main reason for compliance was the quickness of completing the questionnaire. The number of daily questionnaires was perceived as more burdensome than the number of items in each questionnaire and the length of the study. The current study is the first to demonstrate the feasibility of combining SCD and EMA during CBT with athletes in a real-world clinical setting. This study contributes to evidence-based care for athletes' mental health by demonstrating a design that enables the analysis of individual processes throughout a CBT intervention. This approach can be adopted to further investigate the effectiveness and mechanisms of psychotherapeutic interventions.

Introduction: Psychological distress is of concern among university students worldwide, more so than in a comparable working population. The impostor phenomenon (IP) describes feelings of inadequacy often experienced by individuals struggling to internalize success despite evidence to the contrary. IP is prevalent among university students and has been identified as a significant factor in understanding psychological distress within this population. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IP and its association with perceived stress and anxiety in dental, law, medical, nursing and psychology university students.

Methods: A web-survey consisting of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), the Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2), and sociodemographic questions were completed by 968 university students registered at a Swedish university during 2022 and 2023. The prevalence of IP, perceived stress, and anxiety was calculated. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used to examine the relationship between the variables.

Results: 64.0% of the participants scored above the cut off value for experiencing IP (CIPS score ≥62). According to cut-off levels developed to categorize the intensity of IP experiences 8.4% of participants had low experiences of IP, 26.0% moderate, 42.6% frequent, and 23.0% intense experiences of IP. Of all participants, 91.6% had at least moderate experiences of IP and 65.6% had frequent to intense experiences of IP. Women scored significantly higher on CIPS than men. In contrast, neither attending semester nor age group significantly impacted CIPS scores. Finally, there was a moderate correlation between the levels of perceived stress and anxiety, respectively, and the IP scores.

Conclusion: This study suggests that the majority of dental, medical, nursing, psychology and law students experience severe IP. Moreover, this study provides valuable insights into the association of IP with perceived stress and anxiety. The results underscore the significance of exploring IP and its link to psychological distress, suggesting that interventions aimed at diminishing IP may play a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of university students.

The aims of this scoping review were to map the current literature on interventions for improving mental health in athletes, identify knowledge gaps, and generate future research questions. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guided this review. A systematic literature search was conducted in SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS and 44 intervention studies met the inclusion criteria. Results showed that 22 studies (50%) implemented cognitive behavioural principles, and the majority of these studies were influenced by various mindfulness programmes. Most studies (93%) included healthy athlete samples, and athletes aged 15–19 were the most examined age group (43%). Only three studies used clinical criteria in their sampling of participants and mediators were examined in two studies. The scarcity of studies examining mediators and subclinical or clinical samples revealed critical knowledge gaps in the literature. Furthermore, the critical appraisal showed that regardless of study design, most studies demonstrated low internal validity. We propose the use of high-quality single-case studies with athletes who experience subclinical or clinical mental health issues, and further investigation of mechanisms of change linking intervention components to outcomes of interest.

his study investigates the effects of spectator noise on umpire stress levels during major badmintontournaments. Previous research has shown that spectator noise can affect performance and decision-making insports, including badminton. However, there is limited understanding of how this phenomenon explicitly affectsumpires, who play a crucial role in officiating matches. Nine experienced umpires from the 24th Badminton WorldFederation (BWF) World Championships participated in the study. Heart rate variability (HRV) was used to measurestress levels objectively. In addition, subjective noise sensitivity and general stress levels were assessed usingvalidated questionnaires. Noise levels were recorded on court using stationary sound level meters, and individualnoise exposure was measured using personal carried noise dosimeters. The results showed a statistically significantcorrelation between spectator noise level and stress, mainly when umpires were working as service judge. Umpireswith a higher subjective sensitivity to noise and higher general stress levels showed a stronger correlation betweennoise levels and stress during matches. The findings suggest that spectator noise may be a factor to consider inefforts to support umpire performance and well-being in stressful environments. Further research is needed toinvestigate the potential impact of this association on decision-making processes. 

Objectives: Elite athletes face numerous psychological challenges that can increase their risk of developing mental health problems. Therefore, interventions to promote the mental health of athletes are crucial. Many coaches and sports psychologists use mindfulness and acceptance-based methods to enhance athletes' performance and well-being. This study examined the experiences of elite student-athletes who participated in an online-based mental training programme. The aim was to understand how these students perceive online mental training, identify challenges and opportunities, and assess their impact on coping with challenges and self-reflection.

Methods: A qualitative research design was employed, using semi-structured interviews to capture participants' experiences. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). Twenty students from two sports high schools in Sweden completed an online mental training programme based on Gardner and Moore's (2007) Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment programme. Ten students participated in semi-structured interviews with four girls and six boys aged 17-19.

Results: Our research yielded four themes: (1) mental training can quickly become demanding, (2) I need to share with someone to develop myself, (3) it can be difficult to talk about the mental aspects, and (4) I now approach the world differently.

In conclusion, coaches and sports psychologists can improve online mental training through personalised feedback, increased interactivity and engagement, the creation of support and community, continuity and regularity, and integration of different methods and techniques in daily activities and practice. Considering these factors, we can adapt online mental training to meet student-athletes needs and optimise their experiences.

För psykologen är det viktigt att kunna söka fram och tillämpa relevant forskning i sitt yrkesliv. I Sveriges psykologförbunds ”Principer för evidensbaserad psykologisk praktik” (EBPP) är en del är att psykologen söker efter vetenskaplig information i arbetet med klienter. I högskoleförordningen (SFS 1993) finns det också krav på att studenter efter examen ska kunna läsa, söka, värdera och kritiskt tolka relevant information. 

Studenter vid psykologprogrammen efterfrågade ytterligare undervisning och praktisk träning inom informationssökning under utbildningen. Det finns sedan tidigare inslag av informationssökning på psykologprogrammen, det som efterfrågats är en tydligare progression av informationssökning över programmen. Ett tidigare samarbete mellan Umeå UB och psykologprogrammen har handlat om inhopp på enstaka föreläsningar och workshops på programmen. 

Ett utökat samarbete har sedan några år inletts med syftet att på ett mer systematiskt sätt införliva Umeå UB:s inslag i informationssökning. En tanke bakom samarbetet är att universitetslärare kan spara tid eftersom vissa av studenternas frågor kan fångas upp och besvaras vid undervisningstillfällena med bibliotekarien. En genomlysning gjordes av programledningen för psykologprogrammen och Umeå UB för att se var undervisningen passade in på programmet genomfördes, vilket ligger i linje med tidigare forskning (Lokse et al, 2017). 

En plan med progression utarbetades där undervisning i informationssökning och referenshantering sker i anslutning till att studenterna har ordinarie uppgifter på termin 1, 4, 6 och 9. Arbete med progression och att informationssökning är knutet till det aktuella ämnet har genomförts på andra lärosäten i Sverige med goda resultat och förbättrad kvalité på studentuppsatser (Ejdebäck & Wickenber 2022; Näverå & Olsson 2022). 

Återkoppling på kursutvärderingar på programmen har varit positiva och inslagen som Umeå UB har stått för har upplevts som relevanta och kopplingen till inslag i den aktuella kursen har varit naturlig och hjälpsam. Progressionen har ännu inte kunnat utvärderats på psykologprogrammen i Umeå eftersom ingen studentkull har gått igenom alla ”steg”. 

I skrivande stund så planeras för att utöka samarbetet och även innefatta akademiskt skrivande under utbildningen. Psykologstudenter har höga antagningspoäng, men även dessa studenter har behov att stärka sin akademiska literacitet genom progression och att involvera skrivpedagoger från Umeå UB.

Referenser

Ejdebäck, & Wickenberg, M. (2022). Progression inom informationskompetens och utveckling av studenters akademiska skrivande. NU2022, Nätverk och Utveckling, Att synliggöra lärande, Stockholm. https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-21724

Lokse, M., Lag, T., Solberg, M., Andreassen, H. N., & Stenersen, M. (2017). Teaching information literacy in higher education: Effective teaching and active learning. Chandos Publishing.

Näverå, & Olsson, A. K. (2022). Library-faculty collaboration in the light of a business administration bachelor’s program: ‘The Scientific Wave. Nordic Journal of Information Literacy in Higher Education, 13(1), 39–55. https://doi.org/10.15845/noril.v13i1.3781

SFS 1993:100. Högskoleförordning. Utbildningsdepartementet. Hämtad 2021-06-10 https://riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/hogskoleforordning1993100_sfs-1993-1

In recent years, athletes’ mental health has gained interest among researchers, sport practitioners, and the media. However, the field of sport psychology lacks empirical evidence on the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions for mental health problems and disorders in athletes. Thus far, intervention research in sport psychology has mainly focused on performance enhancement using between-subject designs and healthy athlete samples. In the current paper, we highlight three interrelated key issues in relation to treating mental health problems and disorders in athletes. (i) How are mental health and mental health problems and disorders defined in the sport psychology literature? (ii) How are prevalence rates of mental health problems and disorders in athletes determined? (iii) What is known about psychotherapeutic interventions for mental health problems and disorders in athletes? We conclude that the reliance on different definitions and assessments of mental health problems and disorders contributes to heterogeneous prevalence rates. In turn, this limits our understanding of the extent of mental health problems and disorders in athletes. Furthermore, knowledge of the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions for athletes with mental health problems and disorders is scarce. Future research should include athletes with established mental health problems and disorders in intervention studies. We also propose an increased use of N-of-1 trials to enhance the knowledge of effective psychotherapeutic interventions in this population.