Athletes Are Different: Factors That Differentiate Biofeedback/Neurofeedback for Sport Versus Clinical Practice

Biofeedback and neurofeedback training procedures are often different for athletes than for clinical patients. Athletes come to improve performance whereas patients come to reduce symptoms. This article outlines factors that distinguish work with athletes from work with clinical patients. The differences in training include the purpose of training, the nature of the participant in training, session design, and covert factors underlying the training. Unlike clients, athletes often do intensive transfer of learning training, between 2 and 6 hours of daily sport practice across days, weeks, and months. Although biofeedback and neurofeedback are important factors for enhancing peak performance, there are many covert and overt factors producing performance success such as motivation, intensity of training, “A-ha” experiences, experimental expectancy, behavioral consequences, and mastery learning. The training process with athletes is illustrated through a case example of a young tennis player who mastered control of his anger.