Abstract
This study examined the use of prompting and an interdependent group negative reinforcement contingency to improve performance of 12 collegiate women’s lacrosse players. The team coaches wanted players to “name passes,” defined as saying the name of a player who should catch the ball at least 1 s before the catch. The intervention was evaluated using an A-B-A-B design, and results indicated that prompting and negative reinforcement (removing sprints at the end of practice for desired performance) were successful for improving names on passes. Players rated the intervention as acceptable, but only 7 out of 12 thought it should continue to be used in future practices.
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Conflict of Interest
The first author was a player on the team at the time of the study. She played defense and the participants played offense. The second and third authors declare no conflict of interest.
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed Consent
Site approval was obtained from the coaches. The IRB did not require individual informed consent because the behaviors and procedures included were common in everyday lacrosse practice and data and the intervention were at the group level.
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Research Highlights
• Behavior analysis can be applied to positively impact sports performance at the collegiate level.
• The Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC) may be useful in selecting interventions for improving sports team performance.
• Prompting and an interdependent group negative reinforcement contingency can be an effective strategy for improving team performance.
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DePaolo, J., Gravina, N.E. & Harvey, C. Using a Behavioral Intervention to Improve Performance of a Women’s College Lacrosse Team. Behav Analysis Practice 12, 407–411 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-0272-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-0272-6