Effects of Behavioral Coaching With Graphic Feedback on Scores and Form on Female University Students’ Performance in Archery Competitions

<p>Study objectives: To compare the effectiveness of 2 types of graphic feedback, competition scores and archery form, in behavioral coaching for archery competitions. Design: ABCA and ACBA designs were used. Possible effects of the order of the 2 types of graphic feedback were controlled for by counterbalancing the order across the participants. Participants: 4 female athletes who were members of a university athletic association’s Western-style archery club. Intervention: The athletes were split into a form feedback first group (n=2) and a competition-scores feedback first group (n=2), and graphic feedback was given. Measures: The percentage of achievement of 5 behaviors, and the participants’ scores in competition. Results: After the intervention, the scores in competition of 1 of the 2 participants in the form feedback first group increased, as did her form performance. These increases were maintained in the competition-scores feedback condition. In contrast, after the intervention, neither of the participants in the competition-scores feedback first group had increased form or competition scores, and the competition scores of both participants in this group decreased when they transitioned to the form feedback condition. Conclusion: It had been suggested that form feedback alone could improve competition scores in addition to form performance. However, receiving feedback on competition scores before form feedback may have inhibited effects of form feedback. Furthermore, self-correction may have interfered with the behavior that was measured, resulting in the lower scores. The competitive nature of archery as a closed-skill sport may also have influenced the results.</p>