درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The purpose of this research was to identify strategic positioning of sports diplomacy capacities for sustainable development. The research population included professional athletes and coaches; who had experience working at international sports levels. The sample was selected via availability methods (146 individuals). Data collection was conducted through a researcher-made questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SWOT matrix. Five professors confirmed the validity of the questionnaire, and its reliability was determined by Cronbach's alpha value of 0.89, indicating the high reliability. The results revealed that the strategic position of sports diplomacy capacities for sustainable development is in the WT quadrant, indicating that the most appropriate strategies that can be applied are defensive ones. Accordingly, respective planners and decision-makers in sports, especially policy-makers, should consider appropriate strategies to improve Iranian sports diplomacy capacities, leading to a more sustainable development.

Athletes are more at risk of developing anxiety disorders, depression, and substance abuse disorders due to facing unique stresses such as balancing social life with sports and high public expectations. The cognitive-behavioral therapy model, in addition to helping athletic performance, can play a preventive role in the development of psychological disorders. This study aimed to determine the impact of the cognitive-behavioral therapy model (with an emphasis on the role of the technique of using others as a benchmark for belief modification) on depression and return to sports in an athlete with major depressive disorder. In this study, a 5-session cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention with an emphasis on the technique of using others as a benchmark for belief modification was conducted. The athlete's depression and anxiety were measured before the intervention, after the intervention, and at a 2-month follow-up stage. The results showed that the athlete progressed from severe depression and moderate anxiety in the pre-test stage to mild depression and anxiety in the follow-up stage, indicating the positive role of the cognitive-behavioral therapy model (with an emphasis on the technique of using others as a benchmark for belief modification) in reducing depression and anxiety in athletes. In the technique of using others as a benchmark for belief modification, the athlete looks at the adaptive beliefs of real successful individuals and distances themselves from their maladaptive beliefs. In other words, if athletes can realistically see and understand how to apply adaptive beliefs in other successful individuals who have been in similar or even much more difficult situations, they will take action to modify their maladapti