Preparation of a scale of relative automatic thoughts for the snatch lift for young quadrupeds 18-20 years old in specialized schools

Abstract

The performance of snatch lift in Olympic weightlifting is affected by a variety of complex cognitive micro-patterns. This study developed and validated a new psychometric scale- Relative Automatic Thoughts Scale for Snatch Lift (RATS-SL), which is used to measure the cognitive micro-patterns reported by youth lifter (18–20 years old) in the process of snatch lift execution in the specialized sports schools. Automatic thoughts have been well studied in clinical psychology and general athletic populations; however, available instruments focus on macro-patterns of conscious thoughts, but not on the subtle cognitive contents of micro-patterns occurring in Olympic weightlifting. Snatch lift is an Ideal situation for thoughts that disturb or help performance, because it is an explosive and technically demanding sport, requiring precise coordination and psychological preparation. Based on cognitive-behavioural theory and sport-specific psychometric models, this study designed 24 items through expert consultation, athlete focus group and literature review to develop a new scale for measuring cognitive micro-patterns in snatch lift. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on 120 youth lifters to validate the scale. Four cognitive domains were extracted: Cognitive domain of Execution Doubt, Technical Self-Talk, Somatic Focus and Competitive Pressure. The internal consistency of the scale was high (Cronbach’s α = 0.87). Furthermore, construct validity was proved by significant correlations between the scale and training experience and competition exposure. The innovation of this study lies in that the psychological assessment model is biomechanically specific, which is reflected by the fact that the scale reflects the cognitive content in the process of snatch lift performance. RATS-SL can be used by coaches, sport psychologists and educators to evaluate cognitive contents, find out the cognitive barriers and design corresponding mental training interventions in specialized school. This study is an important attempt to improve sport psychology, because it connects general cognitive theory and the specific cognitive contents occurring in Olympic lifting for young athletes.