Effect of Cognitive Counseling to High School Player

The purpose of this study was to examine effect of cognitive counseling by Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) to a high school player. In REBT, it is thought that state anxiety is caused by irrational belief (IB). In this study, through cognitive counseling by REBT, the modifying of IB and the learning of RB were tried. The cognitive counseling lasted three months. Moreover, the questionnaire investigation was executed before and after the cognitive counseling, and the player's assesment was done. "Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2", "Irrational Belief Scale" and "Diagnostic Inventory of Psychological-Competitive Ability for Athletes" were used as a questionnaire. As a result of the cognitive counseling, it was expected that the player's state anxiety is eased. IB is cognitive style such as "I must win". On the other hand, rational belief (RB) is cognitive style such as "Doing best to win is most important". These questionnaire results after the cognitive counseling were as followed; IB had decreased, state anxiety had eased, and psychological competitive ability had improved. Additionally, the qualitative data of discourse with the player in cognitive counseling were analyzed. This analysis result was suggested to lead to a positive action as a result of refusing irrational belief and having rational belief newly even if state anxiety was increased once. From these result, it was thought that cognitive counseling by REBT was effective in sports scene