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Psychology International
Special Issues
The Psychology of Peak Performance in Sport
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The Psychology of Peak Performance in Sport

A special issue of Psychology International (ISSN 2813-9844).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 6753

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yair Galily

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sammy Ofer School of Communications, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
Interests: psychology; new media; sports and society; social psychology; international terrorism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Gershon Tenenbaum

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ivecher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
Interests: emotions and sport performance; sport psychology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

High performance in sport is not solely a function of physical ability; it is deeply intertwined with psychological factors that shape motivation, resilience, decision-making, and overall mental well-being. As elite athletes, coaches, and organizations continue to push the boundaries of human performance, sport psychology plays a crucial role in optimizing training, competition, and recovery.

This Special Issue of Psychology International will advance the discourse on sport psychology and high performance by bringing together innovative research from across multiple disciplines. We invite scholars and practitioners to contribute original empirical studies, theoretical papers, systematic reviews, and applied research that enhance our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underpinning elite performance in individual and team sports.

Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Mental resilience and psychological skills training;
  • Coping with pressure, adversity, and setbacks;
  • The psychology of clutch performance and choking under pressure;
  • Cognitive and emotional factors influencing high performance;
  • Decision-making and problem-solving in competitive environments;
  • Emotion regulation and performance anxiety;
  • The impact of stress, fatigue, and cognitive load on athletic performance;
  • Team dynamics and leadership in sport;
  • Communication and cohesion in high-performance teams;
  • Leadership styles and their impacts on motivation and team success;
  • Psychological aspects of coaching and talent development;
  • The role of technology and data analytics in sport psychology;
  • Wearable technology and real-time psychological monitoring;
  • AI-driven performance analysis and cognitive training;
  • Virtual reality and augmented reality in psychological training;
  • Athlete well-being, mental health, and career transitions;
  • Managing burnout, depression, and identity issues in elite sport;
  • Psychological support systems and interventions for athletes;
  • The transition from active competition to post-athletic careers.

Authors are invited to submit high-quality manuscripts that align with the theme of the Special Issue. Submissions should follow the standard guidelines of Psychology International, which can be found at the journal website. All papers will undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure scientific quality and relevance.

Prof. Dr. Yair Galily
Prof. Dr. Gershon Tenenbaum
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Psychology International is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sport psychology
  • high performance
  • physical ability
  • mental well-being

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  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 628 KB  
Article
Psychosocial Mechanisms of Exercise–Eating Behavior Change Coaction Processes Within Community-Based Obesity-Reduction Programs
by James J. Annesi
Psychol. Int. 2026, 8(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/psycholint8010016 - 2 Mar 2026
Viewed by 494
Abstract
Coaction theory suggests improvement in one health behavior carries over to advancements in other health behaviors. There is evidence of increased exercise leading to improved eating; however, data on its psychosocial mechanisms required to adequately inform behavioral weight-management interventions are lacking. Theory suggests [...] Read more.
Coaction theory suggests improvement in one health behavior carries over to advancements in other health behaviors. There is evidence of increased exercise leading to improved eating; however, data on its psychosocial mechanisms required to adequately inform behavioral weight-management interventions are lacking. Theory suggests that self-regulation, and the relationship of self-regulation to self-efficacy, promote such carry-over processes. Participants in a community-based obesity program who completed no/minimal weekly exercise at baseline were randomized by participating facility using computer-generated random numbers into 6-month treatments emphasizing either weight loss education (n = 39) or self-regulation/self-efficacy (SR/SE) methods (n = 90). Improvements in exercise outputs, exercise- and eating-related self-regulation and self-efficacy, negative mood, dietary behaviors, and weight were significant overall, and significantly greater in the SR/SE group. Carry-over of increased exercise to improved dietary behaviors was suggested. Paths from the treatment group to dietary changes at 6 and 12 months were significantly mediated by associations of changes in (a) exercise-related self-regulation leading to eating-related self-regulation, (b) exercise-related self-efficacy leading to eating-related self-efficacy, and (c) exercise leading to improved mood. Identified relationships between self-regulation and self-efficacy changes were particularly relevant in the dietary-change context. Weight losses over 6, 12, and 24 months, associated with exercise and dietary changes, were 2.2×–2.7× greater in the SR/SE group than in the weight loss education group (−6.0% vs. −2.6%; −5.6% vs. −2.5%; and −5.1% vs. −1.9%, respectively). Advantages of treatment foci on self-regulatory skills and self-efficacy over typical weight loss education were supported. Clarification of psychosocial mechanisms of the increased exercise → improved eating-behavior relationship, including effects of increased exercise on mood, informed continued advancements in theory-driven obesity treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Psychology of Peak Performance in Sport)
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20 pages, 712 KB  
Article
Targeting Stress Mindset and Irrational Beliefs to Improve Performance and Reduce Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Academy Athletes
by Paul Mansell, Katie Clark, Jordan Brookes, Jason Wright, Samuel Westley, Katherine Sparks and Matthew Slater
Psychol. Int. 2026, 8(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/psycholint8010009 - 4 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1610
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate whether a multimodal cognitive behavioural intervention could enhance academy athletes’ stress mindset, self-compassion, and performance, as well as reduce irrational beliefs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. We delivered 6 × 1 h group workshops at five different [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate whether a multimodal cognitive behavioural intervention could enhance academy athletes’ stress mindset, self-compassion, and performance, as well as reduce irrational beliefs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. We delivered 6 × 1 h group workshops at five different football (n = 4) and rugby (n = 1) academies in the United Kingdom. We hypothesised that there would be increases in stress mindset, self-compassion, and perceived performance coupled with decreases in irrational beliefs, anxiety, and depressive symptoms as a result of the intervention, and that such changes would remain evident one month later. Sixty-seven participants (n = 59 males, n = 8 females, Mage = 17.03 years, SD = 2.55) completed assessment at baseline, post-intervention, and at a follow-up. Through paired-sample t-tests, our results demonstrated support for the hypotheses with principally small effect sizes. Findings offer support for the use of a multimodal cognitive behavioural programme in academy athletes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Psychology of Peak Performance in Sport)
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17 pages, 733 KB  
Article
Swearing in Sport and Exercise: Development and Validation of a New Questionnaire
by Noam Manor and Gershon Tenenbaum
Psychol. Int. 2025, 7(2), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/psycholint7020037 - 12 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2855
Abstract
Swearing, a highly emotive form of expression, has recently attracted growing interest from researchers. Yet, swearing is still largely unexamined as a form of self-talk among professional athletes, coaches, and casual exercisers. This study aims to fill that gap by creating and validating [...] Read more.
Swearing, a highly emotive form of expression, has recently attracted growing interest from researchers. Yet, swearing is still largely unexamined as a form of self-talk among professional athletes, coaches, and casual exercisers. This study aims to fill that gap by creating and validating the Use of Swear Words in Sport and Exercise Questionnaire (USWSEQ), an innovative instrument intended to assess how often athletes, coaches, and recreational exercisers utilize common swear words. The questionnaire was administered to 513 participants and underwent exploratory (n = 333) and confirmatory (n = 180) factor analyses to evaluate its content structure, reliability, and validity. Results confirmed a robust two-factor model: (1) Self/Other Degradation, and (2) Situational Swearing. Notably, the study emphasizes the complexity involved in researching language, because swear words can be semantically ambiguous, pragmatically flexible, and deeply embedded in culture. These attributes present challenges for conventional psychometric methods and highlight the importance of function-based and context-aware frameworks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Psychology of Peak Performance in Sport)
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