From the late 1960's through the middle 70's, Dr. Robert Nideffer was conducting basic scientific research on the relationship between attentional processes (concentration skills), physiological arousal, and performance. It was that that research which led to his promotion as associate professor in psychology at the University of Rochester in 1976, and to full professor at The California School of Professional Psychology in 1980, as well as to listings in "Who's who in research in the medical sciences," and "Outstanding Young Men of America - 1977".

More important than professional recognition, however, was the fact that the research led to the development of a theory explaining the relationship between attention (concentration), arousal, and performance. That theory provided both psychological researchers and practitioners with a framework for developing performance enhancement programs, and for making predictions about who would and who would not be successful within any given performance setting. The Attentional and Interpersonal Style Inventory (TAIS), a 144 item paper and pencil test, was developed to measure those attentional and interpersonal characteristics which the theory indicated were important determinants of behavior (Nideffer, 1976a). The Inventory of Communication and Concentration Skills (ICCS) and the Concentration and Personality Profile (CPP) which is used in Focus for Success, are based on TAIS. In fact, the Focus on Success program uses the ICCS to simulate the reader's scores on TAIS, and to then generate feedback.

While at the University of Rochester, Dr. Nideffer developed the universities psycho-educational and biofeedback laboratory. This combined research/service facility provided the proving grounds for many of the techniques used in Attention Control Training(ACT) and Focus for Success. In addition to providing graduate students in psychology with an arena within which they could engage in applied research, the laboratory provided stress management and performance enhancement services to the greater Rochester community, including the Eastman School of Music, Eastman Kodak, Zerox, and Sybron corporations. This work received a great deal of attention nationally, resulting in feature articles in publications like Dun's Review, Business Week, The National Observer, and The New York Times. Identified as one of the worlds leading experts in the area of stress managment and performance enhancement, Dr. Nideffer made appearances on nationally syndicated news and entertainment programs including The Tonight Show where he taught Johnny Carson to break a board with his head, and Not For Women Only where he was interviewed by Barbara Walters.

In 1976, The Inner Athlete was published (Nideffer 1976b). This book used the theory that had been developed, and a mini-version of TAIS, to provide readers (professional and lay alike) with a rational for the use of psychological techniques like mental rehearsal, hypnosis, progressive relaxation, biofeedback, etc. as tools to enhance performance. Because the book provided a scientific basis for the application of these procedures, and because it pointed out that the decision to use a procedure should vary from person to person and situation to situation, it gave the field of applied sport psychology the credibility it had been lacking.

In 1978, The Inner Athlete was followed by a book titled Attention Control Training: ACT(Nideffer & Sharpe, 1978). ACT provided a model for the development of individualized performance enhancement training programs. Programs which are designed to give individuals greater control over concentration and arousal under highly challenging and/or stressful conditions.

Both the original article on TAIS and The Inner Athlete, were to become "classic references" in the field of sport psychology (LeUnes, Wolf, Ripper, & Anding,1990). In the late 1970's the sport psychology academy of the American Alliance for Health Physical Education and Recreation (AAHPER) recommended that the theoretical constructs relating attention and arousal to performance be required reading for anyone studying in the field. In 1979, both TAIS and The Inner Athlete were translated into Russian and became best sellers. In 1981, the Coaching Association of Canada incorporated the theory into it's National Coaching Certification program (Coaching Association of Canada, 1981). Similar adoptions at both a professional (psychologist) and consumer (coach-athlete) level occurred in other countries around the world including Australia, Germany, Japan, China, and Spain.

From 1980 through the present, you would have difficulty finding a book being used as a text within the field of sport psychology, which does not contain a chapter dealing directly with TAIS and ACT and the associated theory (Bond, Gross, 1990; Cox, 1985; Hackfort & Speilberger, 1989; Klavora & Daniel, 1979; Korn, 1983; Nideffer, 1981; Salmela, 1981; Singer, Murphrey & Tennant, 1993; Straub, 1978; Strauss, 1984; Suinn, 1980; Williams, 1986,1993).

In 1992, the impact of the theory and it's application to the field of sport psychology was recognized when Dr. Nideffer was honored as "One of the top ten sport psychologists in North America for the decade of the 80's, and chosen as a role model for students beginning their training in the field (Straub & Hinman, 1992; Snyder, & Abernethy, 1992).

Sport has provided the ideal laboratory for the evaluation of both theory and application because the consequences of performance errors are both immediate, and obvious. This makes it possible to design controlled studies which examine the effects of various interventions on outcome. Research has documented the effectiveness of performance enhancement and stress management programs in sport. So much so in fact, that the National Research Council has recognized the relevance of those procedures to other performance arenas, most notibly, business (Druckman & Bjork, 1991).

In 1976, following the publication of The Inner Athlete, Dr. Nideffer founded Enhanced Performance Systems (EPS). It's the application of TAIS and ACT to the enhancement of human performance, and to the development of products and training tools related to the underlying theory, that provides the focus for Enhanced Performance Systems. As an organization, EPS is committed to making full use of rapidly developing technology to create even more valid and reliable training tools and performance enhancement programs for business, sport, education, and the home. Tools and programs which will provide a benchmark for the industry.

Dr. Nideffer believes very strongly in the importance of the integration of mental and physical processes in order to achieve one's full potential. For this reason, it's no surprise that he has always been interested in exploring the various ways that modern technology can be used to get mind and body functioning as one. That was the spirit behind the development of the psycho-educational and biofeedback laboratory at the University of Rochester, and it is the spirt behind the development of Focus for Success.

A great deal of scientific research supports the theory which underlies The Attentional and Interpersonal Style Inventory and the application of those psychological skills taught in Focus for Success, to the enhancement of performance. The challenge now, is to find better ways of measuring performance relevant concentration skills, and better ways to teach those skills. In this respect, Focus on Success ushers in a new era in self-help. In a very real sense, this product takes the reader into the 21st century.

A primary concern with any psychological test which relies on the individual's self-report has to do with the accuracy of the person's self- perceptions and his or her ability to put his or her skills in perspective (e.g., relative to others). The integration of audio and video examples along with text in Focus for Success, provides a great deal of clarity that has been absent in the past and promises to greatly increase the accuracy of self-report measures. In addition, the integration of computer games provides a more objective measure of the readers concentration skills.

A major problem with self-help materials in the past has been the fact that low levels of self-confidence on the part of many readers, has keep them from making successful use of the material presented. They have doubted their ability to understand the material, and they have doubted their ability to learn and/or apply it. CD Interactive technology can dramatically increase a reader's self-confidence, and motivation, by allowing him/her to ask questions, and by letting the reader see and hear (as well as read) exactly what it is, that needs to be accomplished.
 

Bond, J. & Gross, J. (1990). Australian Sport Psychology: The Eighties. Australian Institute for Sport, Canberra (Pp. 149-166).

Coaching Association of Canada (1981). National Coaching Certification Program: Coaching Theory - Level 3.

Cox, R.H. (1986). Sport psychology concepts and applications. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Publishers (Pp 43-147).

Druckman, D. & Bjork, R.A. (1991). In the mind's eye: Enhancing Human Performance. National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.

Hackfort & Spielberger (1989). Anxiety in sport: An international perspective. New York: Hemisphere (Pp. 117-135).

Klavora & Daniel (1979). Coach, Athlete and the Sport Psychologist, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics (Pp 99-112).

Korn, M. (1983). Orthopedic Clinics of North America - Sports Medicine, Philadelphia, Saunders (Pp. 373-385).

LeUnes, A., Wolf, P., Ripper, N., & Anding, K. (1990). Classic references in Journal of Sport Psychology, 1979-1987. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 12, 74-82.

Nideffer, R.M. (1976a). Test of attentional and interpersonal style. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 394-404.

Nideffer, R.M. (1976b). The Inner Athlete, New York, Thomas Crowell.

Nideffer, R.M. & Sharpe, R. (1978). A.C.T.: Attention control training, New York, Wyden Books.

Nideffer, R.M. (1981). The ethics and practice of applied sport psychology. Ithaca: Mouvement.

Salmela, J.H. (1981). The world sport psychology source book. Ithaca, NY: Mouvement.

Singer, R.N., Murphey, M., & Tennant, K.L. (1993). Handbook on Research in Sport Psychology, A project of the International Society of Sport Psychology. New York: Macmillian (Pp. 542-556).

Snyder & Abernethy (1992). The Creative Side of Experimentation: Personal Perspectives From Leading Researchers in Motor Control, Motor Development, and Sport Psychology . Human Kinetics, Champaign, Ill. (Pp.165-177).

Straub, W. (1978). Sport psychology: An analysis of athlete behavior, Ithaca: Mouvement (Pp. 231-257).

Straub, WF., & Hinman, D.A. (1992). Profiles and professional perspectives of 10 leading sport psychologists. The Sport Psychologist, 6, 3, 297-313.

Strauss (1984). Sports Medicine, Philadelphia, Saunders (Pp. 501- 510).

Suinn, R. (1980). Psychology in sports: Methods and applications. Minneapolis, Burgess (Pp 281-290).

Williams, J. (1986, 1992). Applied sport psychology, Palo Alto: Mayfield (Pp. 243-261).