Brief Remote Psychological Intervention for Swimmers’ National Competition: Ethical Issues and Best Practice for Practitioners

Applied sport psychology practitioners are increasingly using digital technology to communicate with athletes. However, practical and ethical issues surrounding remote delivery have received scant attention. The aim of this case study was to present a method of minimizing potential ethical issues during digital intervention prior to competition. After referral from the swimming coach, sport psychology intake workshops were conducted with nine competitive swimmers to ascertain interest in receiving psychological support for their forthcoming national swimming event. Subsequently, one day before their race, four swimmers requested psychological preparation assistance. A strengths-based intervention, based on the positive psychology paradigm, was delivered via WhatsApp with each swimmer privately. Practitioner reflections on the experience included ethical considerations such as decisions around informed consent, confidentiality, privacy and remote communication issues. Recommendations for applied sport psychologists delivering remote interventions are offered.