Table 2.

Intervention program for short-and long-term intervention (based on the four self-talk (ST) mechanisms postulated by Hardy et al. [1]).

	Main Intervention Question(s)	Aim/Intervention Content
Preparation	What is ST? What kind of ST did participants use in the past?	Introduction Learning the possible objectives and effects of systematic ST Participants record ST words and phrases they used in the past Developing an idea of ST
Behavioral mechanism	‘How do I optimize movement?’	Understand the conscious influence of ST on movements Developing ST to: - Optimize activation regulation - Improve motor skills - Improve potential movement deficits - Understand the influence of ST on attention and cognition
Cognitive mechanism	‘How do I improve my attention?’	Participants record their individual focus during training and competition Developing ST to: - Remain focused on performance detail - Increase attention and avoid distraction - Reduce interfering thoughts
Affective mechanism	‘How do I regulate my emotions?’	Understand the role of ST to regulate emotional reactions Participants reflect their positive and negative emotions during training and competitions Integration of systematic relaxation methods (breath control, progressive muscle relaxation) Developing ST to: - Regulate emotional reactions - Regulate activation - Control affects - Decrease dysfunctional states (e.g. state anxiety)
Motivational mechanism	‘How do I modify my motivation?’	Understand the encouraging role of ST on motivation Developing ST to: - Improve and maintain motivation - Optimize self-appraisal (e.g. self-efficacy)