European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 17, 15 (2024) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2024.012

The use of psychological skills in Deaflympic sport

Alon Markov-Glazer1,2*, Anne-Marie Elbe1, Rainer Schliermann2
1 Department of Sport Psychology, Leipzig University, Germany
2 Faculty of Social and Health Care Sciences, Regensburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany

This study explores the use of psychological skills among Deaflympic athletes and aims to provide initial insights into sport psychology practices in this overlooked population. To this end, the frequency of psychological skills’ usage, usage patterns, and differences between subgroups were examined within this population. The Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) was administered to 84 German Deaflympic athletes (mean age = 28; 27% female) along with biographical questions (e.g., hearing status). The findings indicate that Deaflympic athletes regularly utilize psychological skills in training and competition, displaying similar usage to that of Olympic athletes. However, only a minority of Deaflympic athletes train their skills with professional consultants. Additionally, relaxation techniques were employed rarely in comparison to the other investigated skills. This study’s findings contribute to the foundation of sport psychology research with Deaflympic athletes and underscore the need for a differentiated approach in tailoring interventions for this population.

Keywords: psychological skills training; Deaf culture; TOPS; Deaflympian

Received: May 8, 2024; Revised: August 12, 2024; Accepted: October 25, 2024; Prepublished online: May 30, 2025; Published online: December 31, 2024  Show citation

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Markov-Glazer, A., Elbe, A., & Schliermann, R. (2024). The use of psychological skills in Deaflympic sport. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 17, Article 15. https://doi.org/10.5507/euj.2024.012
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