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Working Out the Kinks

Psychology 1400Courtney Kitchin-Ramsay

GSI: Kathleen HolehanApril 24, 2013

Introduction

I decided to implement an intervention to improve my level of soccer playing, but reduce the amount of pain in my knees while running. 14 years of playing soccer year round was very hard on my knees and got worse as years progressed. Through seeing many doctors and going to many physical therapy sessions, all they said was that my knees were worn out from playing soccer so much. All I could do for it was work through the pain and do my best to work through the pain.

Problem

• Don’t want to give up playing the sport I love the most

• Excruciating knee pain • And locking-up of knees• Not enough time before games and

practice to warm-up

Contingencies Used

Avoidance-of-loss-of a reinforcer I was avoiding the loss of playing soccer (reinforcer) by completing warm-ups an hour before games/practice

The Basics

Behavior being analyzed: My playing soccer and getting my knees stronger Reinforcer: Playing soccer Aversive Stimulus: Sitting out of games and/or practices SD (Deadline): At least an hour before game/practice

Competing Contingencies

Completing warm-ups an hour before game/practice and playing the game I loveNot completing warm-ups and having to sit out

Natural Competing Contingencies

Before: Behavior: After:

I have a given

amount of time to get ready and get to the

field on time

I warm-up an hour before

practice or game

I have less time

to get ready and make it to the field on time

Natural Competing Contingencies

Before: Behavior: After: I have a

given amount

of time to eat

before games or practice

I warm-up an hour before

practice or game

I have less time

to eat before

games or practice

Intervention

Target Behavior: Warming up at least an hour before game/practice Intervention: Performance Management

Contingencies: Avoidance-of-loss contingency

Deadline (SD): One hour before game/practice

Ineffective Natural Contingency

Before: Behavior: After:

I have a given

amount of soccer I can play

before my knees

start to hurt

I warm-up an hour before

practice or game

I have an infinitesimall

y greater amount of

soccer I can play before my knees

start to hurt

Problems During Intervention

Didn’t always have an hour before games or practice Wouldn’t always have time to warm-up

Recycle

This process started over each season of soccer I played. The pain got more tolerable as each season passed The amount of time in each game I played also increased

My Results

Knees got stronger towards the end of each season Getting through the pain and being able to play is much easier than sitting out and watching

Thank You!

Questions or Comments?

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