Mental training

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As a mental training or mental training is of a variety psychological referred methods that aim the social skills and emotional competence , the cognitive skills that capacity , the confidence , the mental strength or the well-being to promote or enhance. Mental training uses the training principle : Through targeted, emotional and repeated stimuli on a mental level (e.g. working with states of perception and consciousness),Training effects and improved self-efficacy on a physical, emotional and mental level aimed at.

Numerous mental training approaches are based on studies with biofeedback or neurofeedback methods (e.g. electroencephalography (EEG)).

Origin and demarcation

Mental training originally referred to a training method for optimizing athletic movement sequences in sports psychology . Today mental training is used in almost all areas of life.

A related term is motivation training, which is difficult to distinguish from mental training in terms of methodology . In the so-called psycho- market the terms “mental training” and “mental coaching” are often used synonymously, although training and coaching differ in their approach. Mental activation training (MAT) must also be differentiated from mental training , which is intended to raise the level of mental performance in a state of sleepiness or relaxed alertness. MAT serves as a "mental warming-up".

Sports psychology

Originally, in sports psychology, mental training of movement sequences was placed alongside physical training. Later not only this specific training method, but also other psychological methods, such as training in attention regulation, prognosis training, training in self-talk regulation and other methods used in sports training, were referred to as mental training. In sport psychology, methods from behavior therapy in particular have been adapted to the requirements of sport psychology .

Mental training of movement sequences

The actual mental training in sports psychology is the repeated imagining of a sporting course of action without actively exercising the action. In this form of “mental training”, methods of behavior therapy, in which relaxation exercises are combined with visual , auditory , olfactory , emotional and / or haptic ideas, were adapted to the requirements of sport psychology.

An improvement in the sequence of movements in the conscious, intensive imagination should bring about an improvement in the sequence of movements actually performed later. The effect achieved depends on how vividly the idea succeeds, that is, how well it succeeds in empathizing with the movement and empathizing with the inner processes. For effective training, it is important to alternate between mental training and real training in order to repeatedly compare the action in the imagination with the actual action being carried out.

This form of mental training is also used in rehabilitation , for example after a stroke or after a hip replacement.

Training for self-regulation of the activation level

Assuming that there is an optimally suitable psychological and physical level of excitement for every action, this training practice is to reduce activation through relaxation or increase it through mobilization. Since mobilization is usually much easier to achieve than relaxation and, under competitive conditions, excessive arousal can often become a problem, practically only relaxation techniques such as autogenic training or progressive relaxation are practiced. The relaxation techniques are also a prerequisite for mental training of movement sequences.

Training of attention regulation

While perception is usually automatically and unconsciously directed outwards or inwards and more or less concentrated or distributed, the aim here is to consciously adjust the perception to the respective requirements and to learn to consciously switch between different modes of perception. “Concentration in time” has a special meaning in sport. The aim here is to train the ability to concentrate one's attention on the activity to be performed at the moment, without thinking ahead or thinking back.

Training of competence expectation (forecast training)

This form of training serves, on the one hand, for realistic self-assessment and, on the other, to strengthen awareness of self-efficacy . Through self-determined specific target expectations (forecasts), different competitive-like conditions are simulated during training, with the aim of strengthening confidence in one's own performance, even under difficult conditions.

Training of self-talk regulation

In this form of training, dysfunctional cognitions are to be systematically replaced by functional cognitions. Dysfunctional cognitions are understood here to mean "self-talk" which is a hindrance to achieving a goal, for example self-doubt, fear of impending failure or brooding about the consequences or analyzing mistakes. For the training of functional cognitions, individual "self-talks" are worked out, which are effectively motivating, strengthen confidence in one's own performance, direct attention to current actions and the achievement of goals and provide strategies for finding solutions for specific situations.

Clinical Psychology

More recently, the term mental training has also been used in clinical psychology in the field of psychosomatics . For physical illnesses in which psychological factors have a major influence on the genesis or the healing process, psychotherapeutic methods are used in psychosomatic clinics and in outpatient psychotherapy to heal or alleviate the symptoms. For people with physical illnesses such as cancer, high blood pressure or chronic pain, it is often difficult to see whether they are receiving psychotherapy. If the same psychotherapeutic procedures are offered under the designation "mental training", this can increase the acceptance of the treatment because, unlike psychotherapy, this designation is not associated with mental illness.

Methods and offers in the field of mental training

The terms mental training , mental training and mental coaching are colloquially often used interchangeably. This designation conceals a broad spectrum of methods as well as mixtures of methods which are conveyed and taught in the form of books, CDs, workshops, training courses and consultations. Some providers of mental training advertise with the promise of strong positive psychological effects. This often makes the offers attractive to people who actually need psychotherapy but fear stigmatization as "mentally ill". On the other hand, the effectiveness of many methods has meanwhile been scientifically proven and is supported by many health insurance companies in Germany, especially in the area of ​​stress reduction and prevention.

Mental trainers also offer coaching for completely different areas, for example for "strengthening personality", for mnemonics , creativity , mind maps or fast reading .

The term mental training is not legally protected and is therefore used by providers with very different meanings. This also applies to the term mental trainer , anyone can call themselves that. Most sports psychologists work in the sports sector; in all other areas the providers often have no psychological qualifications. Many so-called “diplomas” are acquired through weekend courses or in distance learning courses .

Psychotherapy methods

Psychotherapeutic methods are often offered with mental training, as they are used in exactly the same way or similarly in psychotherapy.

Qualification of the provider

While the Psychotherapists Act for psychotherapy as a healing method sets strict quality standards for those practicing, all comparable methods in the field of mental training may be used without proof of qualification , provided that no therapeutic goals are pursued or healing promises are made. On the free market there is therefore a broad spectrum between high and poor qualification of the providers. Exceptions exist in the area of ​​relaxation procedures funded by health insurers (in Germany). Here they make their own assessment of the qualifications of trainers before subsidies for prevention courses with these trainers are approved.

In Austria, the term coaching is protected by trade law. The professional groups life and social counselors, psychotherapists and management consultants are allowed to offer coaching within their trade, furthermore coaching is qualitatively specified by international umbrella organizations such as ICF and EMCC.

Quality of the methods

While in the context of psychotherapy the psychotherapy guidelines stipulate which therapeutic methods may be used, any method that is not immoral according to the penal code may be used under the terms “mental training”, “mental training” or “mental coaching”. On the psycho market there are also methods that warn against possible harm to mental health, such as B. positive thinking . Wherever suggestive or auto-suggestive methods are used without qualifications, there is always the potential risk of manipulation and loss of reality .

Relaxation

In many offers there are methods which, in a broader sense, serve recreation, relaxation, stress reduction, serenity and well-being. The best known relaxation techniques include autogenic training , progressive relaxation , as well as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and meditation . Positive effects on health have been proven for these relaxation techniques as well as for numerous meditation techniques.

Cognitive abilities

Exercises and techniques are also offered under the terms “mental training” and “mental training”, which are intended to increase or maintain cognitive abilities, especially in older people. Such methods are also known as brain training , " brain jogging " and "brain gym". Such methods are researched in gerontology, especially in terms of their preventive effect. Part of many mental training courses are visualization exercises or inner experience in a state of relaxation (alpha state), which is intended to promote concentration, joy, creativity and the positive confrontation with one's own goals.

Creativity techniques

Techniques from the field of brainstorming , such as mind mapping , brainwriting and brainstorming, are also offered under these names. In the business sector in particular, it is about the targeted generation of new ideas for the purpose of finding a solution.

Parascience, pseudoscience and esotericism

Even providers from the field of parasciences , pseudosciences and esotericism sometimes claim the term mental training for themselves. The boundaries between well-founded methods that can be scientifically proven, alternative medicine and sometimes dubious offers or offers with a religious background are often fluid and require critical handling.

This also applies to a large number of devices and preparations that are said to be able to improve brain functions and thus improve concentration and memory .

literature

  • Hans Eberspächer : Mental Training. Publishing house Copress Sport, Munich 2004, ISBN 3-7679-0847-6 .
  • Claudia Bender, Michael Draksal: The Lexicon of Mental Techniques. Draksal Fachverlag, 2010, ISBN 3-86243-010-3 .
  • Rainer Krumm: Mental training for pilots. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-613-02786-2 .
  • Wolfgang Knörzer, Wolfgang Amler, Robert Rupp: Developing mental strength. The Heidelberg competence training in school practice. Beltz, Weinheim 2011, ISBN 978-3-407-25556-3 .
  • K.-M. Haus, C. Held, A. Kowalski, A. Krombholz, M. Nowak, E. Schneider, G. Strauss, M. Wiedemann:  Practice book Biofeedback and Neurofeedback.  Springer Medicine, 2013, ISBN 978-3-642-30178-0 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Marie Ottilie Frenkel, Simona Maltese, Andrea Schankin: Findings from EEG examinations on mental training . In: Journal of Sport Psychology . tape 19 , no. 1 , January 1, 2012, ISSN  1612-5010 , p. 16-25 , doi : 10.1026 / 1612-5010 / a000065 ( hogrefe.com [accessed February 6, 2017]).
  2. ↑ Rehabilitation of sensorimotor disorders. Guidelines of the German Society for Neurology , as of November 6, 2017
  3. ↑ Mayer, J., Bohn, J., Görlich, P., Eberspächer, H .: Mental walking training - effectiveness of a therapy method in rehabilitation after hip arthroplasty. In: Z. Orthop. Volume 143, 2005, pp. 419-423, doi: 10.1055 / s-2005-836829
  4. ↑ Researchers develop mental training for cancer patients. Doctors newspaper from January 15, 2007
  5. ↑ http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/medizin_gesundheit/bericht-5395.html Mental training in the treatment of high blood pressure
  6. ↑ Neuroscience: How Meditation Changes the Brain and Mind - WORLD. Retrieved February 3, 2017 .