Purpose: In sport psychology, mental training (MT) approaches mostly focus on performance optimization, while little is known aboutMT interventions addressing athletes’ wellbeing. Hence, this study aimed to test the effects of a short MT intervention on a broad conceptualization of the wellbeing construct, including optimism, mental skill abilities, and confidence towards one’s own sport. Methods: N = 54 Italian athletes were recruited and randomly allocated to either the experimental (N = 25) or the waiting list control group (N = 29). Athletes were tested pre- and post-training via self-report questionnaires aimed at evaluating participants’ levels of depressive symptoms (CES-D), stress (IPSS), affect (PANAS), optimism (Optimism subscale of the Flourishing Scale), mental skill abilities (QuAM-2), and confidence towards their own sport (Trait Sport-Confidence Inventory). Additionally, with the aim to assess athletes’ perception of the effectiveness of the intervention on their wellbeing, two post-training open questions were administered to participants belonging to the experimental group. The MT consisted of 3 two-hour-long in-person meetings conducted by an expert sport psychologist. The intervention utilized a cognitive-somatic approach by focusing on progressive relaxation and motor imagery with the addition of the technique of psychological empowerment. Either linear or generalized models were run to test the training benefits. Within these models, age, years of sport practice, and number of training sessions per week measures were included as covariates. Furthermore, a thematic analysis was performed to explore the contents of the two open questions assessing athletes’ perception. Results: The MT intervention showed significant effects on optimism (p=.003), mental skill abilities (p = 0.006), and on athletes’ confidence towards their sport (p = 0.023). From the qualitative analysis, it emerged that athletes’ perception of wellbeing improvement was related to both the areas of daily life and sport-related activities. Conclusions: A short MT intervention can be beneficial for young adult athletes determining a perceived improvement in personal and athletic wellbeing.
Untangling the Effects of a Short Mental Training Intervention on Athletes’ Wellbeing, Confidence in Their Sport, and Mental Skill Abilities
Salmaso F.
;Caselli P.;Rapisarda F.;Vallarino M.;Cavallini E.
2026-01-01
Abstract
Purpose: In sport psychology, mental training (MT) approaches mostly focus on performance optimization, while little is known aboutMT interventions addressing athletes’ wellbeing. Hence, this study aimed to test the effects of a short MT intervention on a broad conceptualization of the wellbeing construct, including optimism, mental skill abilities, and confidence towards one’s own sport. Methods: N = 54 Italian athletes were recruited and randomly allocated to either the experimental (N = 25) or the waiting list control group (N = 29). Athletes were tested pre- and post-training via self-report questionnaires aimed at evaluating participants’ levels of depressive symptoms (CES-D), stress (IPSS), affect (PANAS), optimism (Optimism subscale of the Flourishing Scale), mental skill abilities (QuAM-2), and confidence towards their own sport (Trait Sport-Confidence Inventory). Additionally, with the aim to assess athletes’ perception of the effectiveness of the intervention on their wellbeing, two post-training open questions were administered to participants belonging to the experimental group. The MT consisted of 3 two-hour-long in-person meetings conducted by an expert sport psychologist. The intervention utilized a cognitive-somatic approach by focusing on progressive relaxation and motor imagery with the addition of the technique of psychological empowerment. Either linear or generalized models were run to test the training benefits. Within these models, age, years of sport practice, and number of training sessions per week measures were included as covariates. Furthermore, a thematic analysis was performed to explore the contents of the two open questions assessing athletes’ perception. Results: The MT intervention showed significant effects on optimism (p=.003), mental skill abilities (p = 0.006), and on athletes’ confidence towards their sport (p = 0.023). From the qualitative analysis, it emerged that athletes’ perception of wellbeing improvement was related to both the areas of daily life and sport-related activities. Conclusions: A short MT intervention can be beneficial for young adult athletes determining a perceived improvement in personal and athletic wellbeing.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
