In the mood: mood profiling applications and mood regulation strategies

Abstract

Getting in the right mood is seen by many as an important part of mental preparation for athletic competition and the success or failure to do so is often presented by athletes as an attribution to explain performance outcomes. The purpose of this presentation is to move on from conceptual and measurement issues to look at the implications of mood assessments for practitioners. First, the potential uses of mood profiling are reviewed, primarily from an applied perspective although new research directions are suggested. The focus then switches to mood management, where the current state of knowledge on the subject is discussed and new data is presented on the popularity and perceived effectiveness of mood regulation strategies utilised by athletes.