ABSTRACT The purpose of the current article is to define critical appraisal, identify its benefits, discuss conceptual issues influencing the adequacy of a critical appraisal, and detail procedures to help reviewers undertake critical appraisals. A critical appraisal involves a careful and systematic assessment of a study’s trustworthiness or methodological rigour, and contributes to assessing how

ABSTRACT The statistical synthesis of quantitative effects within primary studies via meta-analysis is an important analytical technique in the scientific toolkit of modern researchers. As with any scientific method or technique, knowledge of the weaknesses that might render findings limited or potentially erroneous as well as strategies by which to mitigate these biases is essential for high-quality

ABSTRACT Understanding the personality characteristics that help and/or hinder competitive success in sport is of great interest to many sport psychology researchers. Grit (i.e. passion and perseverance towards long-term goals) is one such construct that has recently gained popularity in the sport domain. This scoping review explored the associations between grit and the cognitive, affective, and behavioural

ABSTRACT With a ‘downpour’ of studies being published there is an increasing need to synthesize existing research to inform policy, practice and research. Umbrella reviews adopt explicit and systematic methods to search for, and identify, multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses to compare and contrast findings of individual reviews, and provide an overall picture of findings for a particular

ABSTRACT In the surging field of chronic physical activity (PA) and cognition research, problems arise that prevent us from ‘seeing the forest for the trees’. The first aim was to identify them and propose solutions. Moreover, inconsistencies in conclusions of a rising amount of systematic reviews render necessary ‘an umbrella for a rain of evidence’. The second aim was to obtain a differentiated picture

ABSTRACT Flow is an optimal experience that has received particular interest within sport because of a possible relationship with enhanced athletic performances. Yet, the strength and direction of the putative flow–performance relationship remain unclear. Consequently, a PRISMA guided systematic review was conducted in May 2020 to examine the empirical evidence for a flow–performance relationship,

ABSTRACT Meta-study is a method for analysing the content and the process of knowledge production in a body of qualitative research. Conducting a meta-study involves four steps: (1) meta-data-analysis which involves the study of empirical findings; (2) meta-method which examines the epistemological soundness and rigour of methods; (3) meta-theory which examines the structures, assumptions, and principles

ABSTRACT Flow is an optimal psychological state associated with exceptional performances and positive subjective experiences in sport and exercise. Considering these reported benefits, there have been many attempts to promote flow experiences through interventions. However, there is little evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of flow interventions in sport and exercise. This study aimed to systematically

ABSTRACT Despite clear evidence of the potential benefits gained by being physically active, children and adolescents (collectively youth) often fail to achieve the recommended daily 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Focusing on youth physical activity in context provides the starting point for intervention design, but the design and implementation of effective interventions

ABSTRACT Interest in the influence of a prior cognitive task on physical performance is growing. This work has been approached by several different disciplines, showing its broad importance. The findings from different disciplines have begun to be brought together. This paper reviews the literatures of how both cognitive fatigue and ego depletion can influence physical performance, and does so through

ABSTRACT Research demonstrates support for life skill development and in some instances the life skill transfer. However, coaching practices used to teach life skills are still being understood. This scoping review was designed to identify (a) the facilitative coaching practices related to the development and/or transfer of life skills in youth sport settings and (b) theories used to ground our understanding

ABSTRACT Approximately 200,000 coaches cease coaching each year in the United Kingdom alone. The reasons for this dropout are not fully understood, but they could be linked to the stressful nature of coaching and the potential for this to impede health and psychological well-being (PWB). The aim of this meta-synthesis is to systematically search for and draw together the qualitative research evidence

ABSTRACT Fear of failure is a popular catchphrase used by performers in a variety of domains to reference motivating and/or inhibiting forces. In 2001, Conroy produced a review of research on the development of fear of failure and associated problems across a variety of different domains that also offered ideas on future research directions in relation to treatment. His review provided researchers

ABSTRACT Goal setting is one of the most frequently used mental skills in sports, and Goal Setting Theory has been the most prominent theoretical framework upon which goal setting interventions are based. The present study provides a systematic review examining how the tenets of GST have been applied to goal setting interventions in sport. A total of 27 peer-reviewed studies written in English, which

ABSTRACT Research on body language (nonverbal behavior, NVB) in sport is only slowly emerging, although it is considered important and has been frequently studied in other disciplines. The goal of the review is to provide a bio-cultural framework, methodological guidelines, and a review of existing studies on NVB in sport. Three methodological approaches are described to investigate naturally occurring

ABSTRACT In recent years, qualitative research has gained popularity and legitimacy in sport and exercise psychology. However, this scientific discipline has not yet paid attention to postqualitative inquiry (PQI), despite the possibilities it offers for producing different knowledge and producing knowledge differently. The present article is the first attempt to rectify this lack of attention by offering

ABSTRACT Organized sport is a context in which to promote positive youth development (PYD). Interventions with a PYD lens are often implemented to promote a wide range of physical or psychosocial benefits through sport participation. To date, no meta-analytic review of the effect of these interventions has been conducted. This is important because such interventions are held in high regard when it

ABSTRACT Studies from the sport and human movement sciences have proposed that electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of left-temporal alpha power and left-temporal-frontal connectivity reflect verbal, conscious processing during the learning and control of motor skills. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize these studies, bring awareness to key methodological considerations, and suggest

ABSTRACT This systematic review synthesized evidence from ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies examining associations between external contexts (social, physical, or time-based) and everyday movement behaviors in children and adults. Published English articles were searched in multiple databases and assessed for methodological quality. The 29 eligible EMA studies differed in their sample size

ABSTRACT Expert performance across a range of domains is underpinned by superior perceptual-cognitive skills. Over the last five decades, researchers have provided evidence that experts can identify and interpret opponent kinematics more effectively than their less experienced counterparts. More recently, researchers have demonstrated that experts also use non-kinematic information, in this paper termed

ABSTRACT Groundbreaking research linking uniform colors and performance in sport has gained momentum in recent years demonstrating a superiority effect associated with certain colors, especially red, and an increase in aggression when in black. However, the findings are not uniform and some studies find no association. Our objective was to identify, compare, and disseminate a comprehensive list of

ABSTRACT The salutogenic model of health proposes that sense of coherence, a multi-dimensional construct representing individuals’ perceptions that their environment is comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful, is a key determinant of stress management and well-being. Generalized resistance resources such as preventive health orientation, material resources, and social support are proposed as determinants

ABSTRACT This narrative review investigates the relationship between mental toughness (and mental toughness resources) and pain in athletes. Theorists have postulated that mentally tough athletes possess the ability to push through painful periods of training and competition to achieve high levels of performance. Athletes and coaches attribute the capacity to tolerate and even thrive while experiencing

ABSTRACT The expansion of evidence-based practices in the sports context, shows a promising growth in the use of REBT interventions with athletes. This evolution places us at the moment of gathering the research to identify where evidence is rich or wanting. We carried out a systematic mapping review to (a) classify the type of literature, (b) categorize current evidence, (c) identify trends and knowledge

ABSTRACT Adolescents with severe mental illness (SMI) engage in lower levels of physical activity (PA), a modifiable risk factor for poor physical health. Although PA is associated with physical and psychological benefits in adult SMI populations, few studies focus exclusively on adolescents. This systematic scoping review aimed to identify the characteristics, outcomes, and feasibility of studies

ABSTRACT Barriers and facilitators for participating in sports and exercise may vary across different types of activities. Yoga, a comprehensive discipline originating in India, has increasingly gained a place among the physical activities on offer in modern-day society, where it is usually practiced in the form of physical postures, breath regulation and relaxation. Despite its increasing popularity

ABSTRACT Research on the psychology of mountaineering has received widespread attention over many decades. Therefore, to clarify scientific findings in the area, provide future research directions, and enable the development of applied recommendations to enhance performance and safety, the purpose of this systematic mixed studies review was to identify, appraise, and synthesise research on the psychology

ABSTRACT The belief in momentum and the hot hand has often been attributed to misperception and biased judgment. Here we review the major theoretical and empirical advances in the investigation of the success breeds success processes, and demonstrate that the term momentum has been uncritically applied in a wide range of domains to denote various manifestations of streakiness. In the first part of

ABSTRACT The objective of this systematic review was to examine and synthesize the current literature on sport-related concussion under-reporting in adolescent athletes. In addition, the review addresses perceived barriers for reporting, and identifies sex or gender differences in reporting behaviours. Eight databases were searched for articles that explore sport-related concussion under-reporting

ABSTRACT This scoping review is focused on sport research activity stemming from Lent and Lopez’s (2002), tripartite relational efficacy model. The purpose was to (1) summarize the research findings with reference to the original model and (2) identify areas that the model has been extended. Searches of online databases and key journals identified 30 sport-focused studies for full review. Lent and

ABSTRACT An external focus of attention, enhanced expectancies and autonomy support are key independent and interactive characteristics which enhance motor learning. These OPTIMAL (Optimizing Performance Through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention for Learning) characteristics have proven supportive of adult’s motor learning yet, their effect on children’s motor learning is comparatively under-explored

ABSTRACT Effective coaching facilitates athletes’ success in reaching their potential in sport. Coaches possess a range of knowledge, skills and attributes that influence athletes’ performance, including various intrapersonal and interpersonal qualities. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the research investigating the psychosocial functioning of Olympic coaches and its perceived

ABSTRACT The interactions between athletes, parents, and coaches outside of the immediate training and competition environments can shape sport participants’ overall experiences. Accordingly, researchers have explored novel approaches that enable the investigation of experiences that occur beyond the sport activity itself. Technological innovations, combined with careful ethical considerations, have

ABSTRACT Judgment and decision making in sporting officials is a challenging task that involves the use of context. Although process models of decision making describe decision contexts, none of the existing models explains when sports officials use rule-driven decision making, or game management. The basic idea of our work is that referees use a subjective threshold to apply game management, which

ABSTRACT This scoping review sought to identify every published study on extraversion in sport. A narrative synthesis was used to interpret findings across research themes. The evidence was graded with validated measures that use quantitative criteria to establish the quality of report writing and confidence in the findings reported. A comprehensive electronic and manual literature search identified

ABSTRACT Imagery interventions are an established psychological tool to enhance performance, psychological skills, and injury rehabilitation. Previous meta-analyses found positive effects of mental practice on performance, leaving it open whether imagery can also enhance outcomes other than performance such as motivational or affective outcomes. We performed a meta-analysis to extend the current understanding

ABSTRACT It is hypothesised that various factors may explain variation in the valenced (pleasure-displeasure) response to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), however the empirical evidence for these factors has not been reviewed. This narrative review summarises empirical evidence relating to cognitive and contextual mechanisms that may explain inter- and intra-individual variation in the

ABSTRACT Self-paced exercise is any physical activity in which the effort has to be distributed over time in order to achieve the objective of the event. Hence, self-paced aerobic exercise is a goal-directed behavior towards an objective that involves several cognitive processes. The aim of the present review is to ask the extent to which self-paced exercise might rely on executive functions and the

ABSTRACT Improved performance under pressure in sport and exercise has been termed clutch performance. The aim of this study was to systematically review, synthesise, and evaluate existing research on clutch performance. Specifically, this review explored: (i) research designs used to examine clutch performance; (ii) definitions of clutch performance; (iii) theoretical frameworks underlying clutch

ABSTRACT Controlling attention during endurance exercises can be a complex task for the human brain. This is mainly because internal bodily cues exert a major influence on one’s attentional focus during exercises performed at moderate and high intensities. Further understanding of the cerebral mechanisms that underlie attentional control during endurance tasks has the potential to imbue researchers

ABSTRACT The objective of this article is to review the extant literature on the psychological factors related to adherence to sport injury rehabilitation among athletes. Published English language articles were identified using electronic databases. The quality of the identified articles was assessed using a hybrid quality assessment tool based on the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool

ABSTRACT The examination of youth sport specialization and athlete participation pathways have been sustained lines of inquiry among multiple branches of the sport sciences. The common consensus in scholarly and practical circles indicates that intensive specialization – particularly at an early age – is a maladaptive pattern of participation that presents risks to an athlete’s physical and psychosocial

ABSTRACT Scholarship on gender and sexual diversity in sport has advanced during the last decade and it is nowadays recognised that we need a better understanding of how to facilitate inclusive sport cultures that allow all people to participate as themselves. The purpose of this scoping review was to map research activity on the sporting experiences of gender and sexual minority (GSM) athletes and

ABSTRACT Competitive gaming, better known as electronic sports (esports), is rapidly growing in popularity. We systematically reviewed the available literature regarding the psychological aspects of esports using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) evidence-based reporting checklist and a Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcomes (PICO)

ABSTRACT Systematic reviews are used to gain insight into the state of research on a given topic, theory, or process; or to inform the development of guidelines, interventions, and policy or public health strategies. Challenges associated with conducting a systematic review include the rapid increase in the variety of systematic review methods and the number of decisions that researchers must make

ABSTRACT Adaptive regulation of emotions is imperative for successful sport performance. However, the lion’s share of mainstream emotion regulation (ER) literature is founded on perspectives prioritising mental health, not performance. Consequently, ER strategies are predominantly classified as adaptive or maladaptive based on effectiveness in achieving targeted mental health outcomes. These conventional

ABSTRACT The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of studies concerning the mental health (MH) of elite athletes and to provide a methodological, conceptual, and applied overview of factors affecting elite athletes’ MH. A total of nine reviews and 43 empirical studies were evaluated and are reported in three sections: sample characteristics, research design, and factors affecting

ABSTRACT Motor simulation (MS) interventions incorporating motor imagery (MI), and more recently action observation (AO), are readily accepted as effective interventions to enhance motor skill performance. Existing models in the MS literature fail to consider the entire spectrum of MS interventions, focusing on MI or AO alone. This paper examines the theoretical basis and current understanding of MS

ABSTRACT Though the existence of Relative Age Effects (RAEs) has been documented through a multitude of studies spanning various sports and levels of play, application of solutions related to RAEs has been limited. In this review, the strengths and weaknesses of various proposed solutions to RAEs in youth sport are considered. Our objective was to identify, collate, and disseminate a comprehensive

ABSTRACT Amid the increasing use of qualitative methods in the field of sport psychology, a number of researchers have initiated discussions about issues of rigour and quality in qualitative inquiry. Methodological coherence has been offered as an approach to strengthening qualitative inquiry by ensuring that the elements of qualitative research are appropriately aligned. This study presents a focused

ABSTRACT In this article, three prevailing myths about team and organisational culture – an increasingly popular topic in applied sport psychology research and practice – are identified, reviewed and challenged. These are; that culture is characterised only by what is shared, that culture is a variable and therefore something that a particular group has, and that culture change involves moving from

(2020). Diversity in cultural diversity research: a scoping review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology: Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 128-146.

ABSTRACT Research on creativity in sport is gaining momentum, due to a growing interest from coaches and academics in developing strategies to increase unpredictability in individual and collective behaviour which may allow teams to gain an important advantage over their opponents. The purpose of this paper was to conduct the first systematic narrative review of the literature on sporting creativity

ABSTRACT Stroboscopic visual training (SVT) is a form of training in which an individual practices a task under intermittent visual conditions with the intention of enhancing subsequent performance under normal visual conditions. Training with stroboscopic devices is theorized to improve important visual, perceptual, and cognitive skills, which in turn transfers to enhanced sporting performance. Indeed

ABSTRACT The role and importance of peripheral vision have been discussed across various sports. Yet, its functionality remains unclear and the terms employed in the literature to characterize the use of peripheral vision are not well defined. We present a review of 29 studies focusing on the use of peripheral vision in sports. We focus on the methodological approaches employed to study its use and

ABSTRACT Organized sport is offered at increasingly younger ages, with many programs geared towards preschoolers, toddlers, and infants. While sport is promoted as an amendable context for healthy development of school-age children, little is empirically known about potential benefits or risks associated with organized sport participation in early childhood. A scoping review of nine electronic databases

ABSTRACT Theoretical accounts of the anxiety and motor performance relationship cite disruptions to attention as a critical mediating factor. The aims of this paper were to (1) systematically review published research examining attentional mechanisms underpinning the anxiety–performance relationship in targeting skills, and (2) subsequently discuss these findings in relation to contemporary theoretical

ABSTRACT Self-control is a burgeoning research topic within sport and motivational psychology. Following efforts to define and contextualize self-control, characteristics of self-control are considered that have important implications for sport performance. We describe and evaluate various theoretical perspectives on self-control, including limited resources, shifting priorities, and opportunity–costs

ABSTRACT Despite emotional, technical and endurance implications for athletes’ performance, a consensus has yet to be reached to explain the impairment of executive functioning during exercise. In particular, recent research challenges the original assumption of a linear dose–response effect of exercise intensity on cerebral physiology and executive functioning. We propose a fatigue-based neurocognitive

ABSTRACT Research in aerobic exercise has linked the affective responses (pleasure–displeasure) experienced during exercise to future exercise participation. While this is yet to be confirmed in anaerobic activities, it can be inferred that making resistance exercise (RE) more psychologically rewarding is an important consideration. The purpose of this article is to review the acute effects of RE on