The effectiveness of a (training-psychological) program using the Meichenbaum model to improve some basic skills among the players of Erbil Girls' Handball Club

Abstract

The research aimed to:

1- Develop a training-psychological program based on the Meikenbaum model to improve some basic skills among the players of Erbil Girls' Handball Club.

2- Identify the differences between the pre- and post-tests of the two groups (experimental and control) in improving some basic skills among the players of Erbil Girls' Handball Club.

3- Identify the differences between the post-tests of the two groups (experimental and control) in improving some basic skills among the players of Erbil Girls' Handball Club.

     The researchers used the experimental method due to its suitability to the nature of the problem. They selected a purposive sample of 18 female players from the Erbil Girls' Club, dividing them into two groups (experimental and control). The groups were randomly selected by lottery, with the experimental group consisting of 8 players and the control group of 7. Three players were excluded from the pilot study. The researchers used SPSS version 22 to analyze the results.

The researchers reached several conclusions, the most important of which is:

1- The female handball players of the Erbil Girls' Club demonstrated significant improvement in the skills under study (receiving and passing, scoring, and dribbling). This was confirmed by comparing the results of the pre- and post-tests after the experimental group completed the psychological training program developed by the researchers.

2- No improvement was shown in the skills of (receiving and passing, shooting, and dribbling) among the players of Erbil Girls Sports Club handball team when comparing the pre- and post-test results of the control group.

3- The experimental group outperformed the control group in the post-tests of skills (receiving and passing, shooting, and dribbling) among the players of Erbil Girls Sports Club handball team when comparing the two groups (experimental and control).

- Recommendations:

1- Focus on psychological training programs, as they form part of sustainable psychological preparation plans in teaching the basic cognitive and skill aspects of handball.

2- Emphasize the importance of training players in mental and psychological training skills, such as relaxation, mental visualization, and self-talk, and develop them within daily educational programs alongside training units for basic handball skills.

3- The importance of conducting similar studies in the field of other sports.