Professional Philosophy in the Sport Psychology Service Delivery: Building on Theory and Practice
in The Sport PsychologistClick name to view affiliation
Practitioners in helping professions have recognized the importance of philosophy of service as a fundamental factor driving the process of behavior change. This article explores professional philosophy as an underlying element of successful sport psychology service delivery. A hierarchical structure of professional philosophy is proposed that delineates important components both overtly discussed and implied in the sport psychology literature. These components—arranged from the most stable and internal to the most dynamic and external—are (a) personal core beliefs and values, (b) theoretical paradigm concerning behavior change, (c) models of practice and the consultant’s role, (d) intervention goals, and (e) intervention techniques and methods. Each component is examined from the perspective that philosophy guides practice. The resulting conceptualization of professional philosophy may be used for both didactic and research purposes aimed at furthering consultant effectiveness in sport settings.
Artur Poczwardowski is with the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida. E-mail: apoczwardowski@barry.edu. Clay P. Sherman and Ken Ravizza are with the Division of Kinesiology and Health Promotion at California State University, Fullerton.
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