IMAGERY APPLIED IN SPORT: A STUDY WITH YOUNG BRAZILIAN ATHLETES

Abstract

The objective was to present a descriptive analysis of the questions of the Sport Imagery Questionnaire for Children (SIQ-C) in adolescent athletes from 14 to 19 years old and to verify possible differences of the questions of the instrument regarding gender, level of competition and sport modality. A total of 521 athletes aged 14 to 19 years who participate in individual and collective sports and involved in a sports competition in southern Brazil participated in this study. Participants responded to the translated version of the SIQ-C into Portuguese. In the data analysis, it was verified a higher general average of the SIQ-C (BR) and higher average scores in the General Motivational Mastery (MG-M), General Motivational Activation (MG-A) and Specific Cognitive (CE) domains of the male athletes compared to female athletes (p<0.005). In addition, international level athletes of both sexes showed a higher frequency of use of mental visualization compared to national level athletes (p<0.005). In the analysis of the use of imagery in sports by type of modality, only female athletes in team sports had higher scores in questions 5 (“I imagine what I would do if my strategies or game schemes did not work.”) and question 16 (“I imagine myself as a champion.”) compared to individual sports athletes (p<0.005). It is concluded that the mental visualization applied to sport differs between genders, competition level and type of modality and this should be taken into account by coaches and sports psychologists in competition and training environments.