Elite sport performance/Mood and emotion/Your mood profile

Mood profiles

Sport psychologists are able to monitor the mood of athletes over time using self-report questionnaires. The varied purposes of mood profiling include:

• Identifying moods associated with superior performance as a precursor to attempting to recreate this mood prior to competition.
• Measuring responses to training load and making recommendations to coaching staff on appropriate training volume.
• Gain an understanding of the athletes general psychological state, which provides a useful starting point for discussion.

Mood states

It is worth mentioning at this point that there is no such thing as an ideal mood for superior performance; rather, athletes vary in terms of their optimal moods for a given challenge. An understanding of these optimal moods will help in developing mood regulation strategies.

Mood researchers have identified several distinct mood profiles, including the iceberg, inverse iceberg and Everest profiles. The measurement of six mood factors establishes the profile, representing scores for tension, depression, anger, vigour, fatigue and confusion.

• Iceberg mood profile
• Inverse iceberg mood profile
• Everest mood profile

Iceberg mood profile

The iceberg profile is characterised by an above average scores for vigour and below average scores for tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion. The term iceberg is applied, because vigour is above the metaphorical water line (an average score of 50) and all other scores are below the water line.

Research shows that athletes tend to report an iceberg profile most of the time, even recreational athletes.

Inverse iceberg mood profile

An inverse iceberg profile represents mood disturbance and shows an opposite pattern to the iceberg mood profile. This profile is associated with poor physical and mental functioning. A sport psychologist would consider referring an athlete to a clinical psychologist if such a profile was evident over a prolonged period.

Everest mood profile

This is a very positive mood profile, with scores above 60 for vigour and below 40 for tension, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion. It represents a profile associated with superior performance.

Mood profiles can help to predict the quality of performance. In particular, high scores for vigour and low scores for confusion and depression are associated with good performance. Profiles are not differentiated between athletes at different levels of competition, with elite athletes often reporting the same moods as athletes at club and recreational levels.

Performance-related predictions from mood profiles include:

• Athletes in a depressed mood tend to report increased levels of anger, tension, confusion, and fatigue, and decreased vigour. Indeed, a depressed mood can act as a catalyst for other negative mood factors that are detrimental to performance.
• Vigour tends to improve performance, whereas confusion and fatigue tend to reduce performance. This is irrespective of the presence or absence of depressed mood.
• Anger and tension tend to reduce performance among athletes reporting symptoms of depression.
• In the absence of depressed mood, performance improves as anger and tension rise, but only to an optimal point, after which further increases in anger or tension tend to lead to a downturn in performance.

Thinking about mood and performance

Considering the points above, what do you think is the single most important mood determinant of performance?

Also is some anger and tension necessarily a bad thing?

More

Symptoms of depression have a huge effect on performance not only by directly undermining performance in its own right, but also by increasing other factors that have negative effects on performance, such as decreased vigour and increased confusion.

On the other hand, some anger and tension can have a positive effect on performance, especially if symptoms of depression are absent. A key point is that anger and tension should be at optimal levels.

Mild anger can assist motivation by making an athlete more determined during competition. Similarly, as discussed earlier in the course, tension can aid performance so long as it is under control by the athlete or else anxiety may set in and lead to movement patterns that lack fluidity.

Assessing mood

Several questionnaires are available to sport psychologists to assess an athlete's mood. One such mood questionnaire is the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS). The BRUMS was used to assess the mood of British Olympic shooting champion Richard Faulds who was profiled regularly by Professor Peter Terry prior to and during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The BRUMS was used to identify the optimal mood of the athlete leading up to the event, based on performances in previous competitions. During the lead up to the Olympic competition, mood was measured on a daily basis and once optimal mood had been reached, strategies were implemented to stabilise Richard's mood at the appropriate level.

Richard went on to win the gold medal for Great Britain in a dramatic shoot-off.

Optional activity

Assess your mood

You may be interested in assessing your own mood. An online version of the BRUMS is available on the In The Mood website. On completion of the short questionnaire, your mood profile is presented and strategies to improve your mood are suggested in areas where mood regulation is indicated. You will be asked to give your consent before you take the test, which is for self-assessment purposes only.

• Take the test

On receiving your results, you may wish to reflect on your profile and the possible interventions you could implement. Remember that mood profiling in elite sport is usually conducted on a regular basis over a sustained period.