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Using Behavioral Skills Training With Video Feedback to Prevent Risk of Injury in Youth Female Soccer Athletes

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Abstract

Female athletes are at a greater risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries than males. Current training programs for ACL injury reduction focus on muscle strengthening, appropriate movement patterns, and balance training. However, there is limited research on effective strategies to teach youth female soccer athletes how to properly perform desired movements associated with a decreased risk of ACL injuries. Behavioral skills training (BST) programs have been shown to be effective in teaching a wide variety of skills, but research on applications to sports is limited. This study evaluated a BST package for teaching a stepwise agility program to 3 youth female soccer athletes that consisted of verbal instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback, which included video replay. Results showed a significant improvement in the number of steps the participants performed correctly relative to baseline, as well as maintenance of skills at follow-up. Implications for coaches and athletes, as well as limitations and directions for future research, are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICL Department, University of Memphis, Ball Hall, 401E, 3798 Walker Ave., Memphis, TN, 38111, USA

    Marrissa Harris, Laura Baylot Casey, James N. Meindl, Douglas Powell, William C. Hunter & Diana Delgado

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  1. Marrissa Harris
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  2. Laura Baylot Casey
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  3. James N. Meindl
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  4. Douglas Powell
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  5. William C. Hunter
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  6. Diana Delgado
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Correspondence to Diana Delgado.

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The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements) or nonfinancial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge, or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this article.

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Research Highlights

• This study shows an effective implementation of behavioral skills training (BST) with video feedback to teach a soccer agility technique.

• The study extends recent findings on an effective implementation of BST in soccer training by adding video feedback and evaluating generalization.

• This study provides a training strategy that could be easily incorporated into soccer training programs to reduce the risk of knee injuries such as those to the anterior cruciate ligament.

• The study shows the effective application of behavior-analytic principles to the field of sports performance and fitness.

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Harris, M., Casey, L.B., Meindl, J.N. et al. Using Behavioral Skills Training With Video Feedback to Prevent Risk of Injury in Youth Female Soccer Athletes. Behav Analysis Practice 13, 811–819 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00473-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00473-4

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