Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Develop Self-Confidence in a Neurodivergent Athlete

Wood, Sam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1281-870X and Turner, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1975-5561 (2024) Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Develop Self-Confidence in a Neurodivergent Athlete. Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology, 8 (1). pp. 37-46. ISSN 2470-4849

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Abstract

This case study outlines the sport psychology service delivery provided to a 17-year-old international-level competitive figure skater. The client had a diagnosis for autism spectrum disorder and reported experiencing low self-confidence, which hindered his performance in training and competition. An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention was implemented over 25 sessions across a fifteen-month period. The aim of the intervention was to develop self-confidence by encouraging acceptance of unhelpful thoughts, rather than changing or removing them, to move the client towards the athlete they wanted to be. This case offers a novel contribution to the wider literature by reporting an ACT intervention to develop self-confidence in sport. We report how psychological flexibility was achieved through exercises to “unhook” the client from his thoughts around perfection and self imposed pressure. Reflections from the client and practitioner capture the evaluation of the service delivery process.