Integrating technology in psychological skills training for performance optimization in elite athletes: A systematic review

Objectives The aim of the current study was to systematically review the literature on the integration of technology in psychological skills training (PST) to optimize elite athletes` performance. Design Systematic review. Method Published English, Italian, and Russian language articles were identified using electronic databases. Eighteen articles (out of 3753 records) fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and their quality was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Six papers were judged to be excellent and four to be high quality. There were significant methodological inconsistencies across eight studies. An overall score of quality assessment ranged from 20% to 100%. Results The included studies implemented various technologies, in combination with PST, to identify, monitor and/or have an intervention aimed at optimizing elite athletes' performance. The results suggested that the integration covered different meanings, i.e., functional integration, integration between technologies and measures, integration between technology, theoretical framework, and psychological skills training. There was no distinct consistency between the studies with regards to the theory or model used. Conclusions Technology and mental training should not be viewed as interchangeable facets of performance enhancement, but rather as complementary ones - where technology integrated in psychological skills training can lead to identify and monitor optimal performance and to implement more effective interventions.
© Copyright 2021 Psychology of Sport and Exercise. Elsevier. All rights reserved.

Bibliographic Details
Subjects:
Notations:training science social sciences
Published in:Psychology of Sport and Exercise
Language:English
Published: 2021
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.102008
Volume:57
Pages:102008
Document types:article
Level:advanced