Abstract

The sport psychologist's role in the applied field of competitive sports can best be conceptualized as an internal consultant with a variety of job functions involved. One of the specific services provided might include psychological testing. Psychometric instruments are widely used in the applied field although psychological assessment is "one of the most controversial areas of sport psychology". Besides missing information on the psychometric qualities of these instruments inappropriate use and misconceptions about the importance of such testing can mislead the consulting process. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how such testing can be incorporated in the process of counseling and consulting with elite athletes. Furthermore, the practicability of two measurements - a German version of the Loehr Test (Loehr, 1988) and the Sports Emotional-Reaction Profile (SERP; Tutko & Tosi, 1976) - is demonstrated. A case study of an elite Swiss decathlete demonstrates how the results obtained from these psychometric instruments can provide a sound basis for adequate interventions in daily practice such as relaxation and mental rehearsal. Einleitung (abgeaendert)