Marcus, a professional heptathlete, is experiencing severe performance anxiety and chronic fatigue ahead of an upcoming championship. He consults a sports psychologist, who suspects his symptoms are compounded by recent stressful events.
During the consultation, the psychologist assesses Marcus using an Athlete Life Stress Scale (ALSS). This scale assigns stress points to major life and training events experienced over the past year. These points are accumulated to determine an overall stress score.
Below is a section of the scale showing the events Marcus experienced and his scores:
| Event | Stress Value | Occurrences in past 12 months | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serious physical injury | 75 | 1 | 75 |
| Loss of major sponsorship | 55 | 1 | 55 |
| Conflict with head coach | 45 | 2 | 90 |
| Relocating to a new training camp | 35 | 1 | 35 |
| Change in daily training schedule | 20 | 3 | 60 |
| Overall Total | 315 |
Describe how the sports psychologist would use this data to advise Marcus on how to reduce his stress and anxiety.
57 exam-style questions on Edexcel A Level Psychology Research methods and skills, covering Research methods and skills. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.