Psychophysiological Response in Sports

A special issue of Sports (ISSN 2075-4663).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 46893

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A psychophysiological perspective offers many opportunities for the advancement of sport theory and practice. This Special Issue aims to bring together a number of papers describing studies that have utilized innovative approaches relying on cutting-edge technology in psychophysiology and neuroscience, to help us better understand the psychology of human performance, offer new possibilities for performance-enhancing interventions, and suggest new and hopefully efficacious approaches for enhanced sport performance.

Prof. Ricardo De La Vega Marcos
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Sport
  • exercise
  • psychophysiology
  • performance

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1244 KiB  
Article
A Thirty-Five-Minute Nap Improves Performance and Attention in the 5-m Shuttle Run Test during and outside Ramadan Observance
by Hsen Hsouna, Omar Boukhris, Khaled Trabelsi, Raouf Abdessalem, Achraf Ammar, Jordan M. Glenn, Nick Bott, Nizar Souissi, Paola Lanteri, Sergio Garbarino, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi and Hamdi Chtourou
Sports 2020, 8(7), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports8070098 - 11 Jul 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3702
Abstract
Ramadan observance is characterized by several changes in behaviors, such as food and sleep, which could affect physical and cognitive performance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a 35-min nap (N35) opportunity on physical performance during the [...] Read more.
Ramadan observance is characterized by several changes in behaviors, such as food and sleep, which could affect physical and cognitive performance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a 35-min nap (N35) opportunity on physical performance during the 5-m shuttle run test (5mSRT); attention; feelings; mood states; and perceptual measures of stress, fatigue, and muscle soreness during Ramadan observance. Fourteen physically active men (22 ± 3 years, 177 ± 4 cm, 76 ± 5 kg) were tested after a no-nap condition (N0), N35 15 days before Ramadan (BR), the last 10 days of Ramadan (DR), and 20 days after Ramadan (AR). Measures included the digit cancellation test (attention estimation), the profile of mood state (POMS), and the Hooper questionnaires. After a 5-min standard warm-up, participants performed the 5mSRT (6 × 30 s with 35 s in between; best distance (BD), total distance (TD), and fatigue index (FI) were recorded), along with the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) after each test repetition. After the 5mSRT test, participants responded to the feeling scale (FS). The results showed that TD and FI during the 5mSRT were not affected by Ramadan observance. However, BD was significantly lower than DR compared to AR after N0 (∆ = −4.3 ± 1.3%; p < 0.01) and N35 (∆ = −2.6 ± 1.0%; p < 0.05). After N0, attention decreased significantly at DR in comparison with BR (p < 0.05) and AR (p < 0.001). BD and TD improved after N35 compared to N0 at BR (∆ = +4.4 ± 2.1%, p < 0.05 for BD and ∆ = +4.8 ± 1.6%, p < 0.01 for TD), DR (∆ = +7.1 ± 2.2%, p < 0.05 for BD and ∆ = +5.1 ± 1.6%, p < 0.01 for TD), and AR (∆ = +5.5 ± 1.5%, p < 0.01 for BD and ∆ = +5.2 ± 1.2%, p < 0.001 for TD). A significant increase in attention was observed after N35 in comparison with N0 at DR (p < 0.01) and AR (p < 0.01). However, no changes were found for the perception of mood states, stress, sleep, muscle soreness, and the FI during the 5mSRT. Also, N35 was better than N0 for RPE at DR (p < 0.05), feelings at AR (p < 0.05), and fatigue estimation at AR (p < 0.01). A 35-min nap opportunity may have beneficial effects on physical and cognitive performances before, during, and after Ramadan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychophysiological Response in Sports)
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10 pages, 487 KiB  
Article
Perfectionism, Body Satisfaction and Dieting in Athletes: The Role of Gender and Sport Type
by Katarina Prnjak, Ivan Jukic and James J. Tufano
Sports 2019, 7(8), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7080181 - 24 Jul 2019
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 8808
Abstract
Athletes are often at a greater risk for disordered eating development due to their perfectionistic tendencies, as well as physical performance- and appearance-related demands of various sports in which they compete. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the possibility of [...] Read more.
Athletes are often at a greater risk for disordered eating development due to their perfectionistic tendencies, as well as physical performance- and appearance-related demands of various sports in which they compete. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the possibility of independent contributions of perfectionism and body satisfaction on dieting behaviour among male and female athletes. Two-hundred-eighty (192 male; 88 female) athletes provided their answers on the Eating Attitudes Test 26 (EAT-26), Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale (PANPS) and modified Body Image Satisfaction Scale from Body Image and Body Change Inventory. No gender or sport type differences were observed in dieting behaviour and body satisfaction was the only significant predictor of dieting for female athletes. Mediation analysis demonstrated that body satisfaction is a mediator between both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism and dieting. These findings emphasize the important role that body satisfaction has in disordered eating development in female athletes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychophysiological Response in Sports)
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11 pages, 261 KiB  
Article
Sleep Patterns, Alertness, Dietary Intake, Muscle Soreness, Fatigue, and Mental Stress Recorded before, during and after Ramadan Observance
by Omar Boukhris, Khaled Trabelsi, Roy Jesse Shephard, Hsen Hsouna, Raouf Abdessalem, Lassaad Chtourou, Achraf Ammar, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi and Hamdi Chtourou
Sports 2019, 7(5), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7050118 - 17 May 2019
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5535
Abstract
Ramadan is one of the pillars of the Islamic creed. Its observance commonly causes chrono-biological changes. The present study examined sleep and alertness during Ramadan observance relative to data collected before and after Ramadan in a sample of young, physically active men. Information [...] Read more.
Ramadan is one of the pillars of the Islamic creed. Its observance commonly causes chrono-biological changes. The present study examined sleep and alertness during Ramadan observance relative to data collected before and after Ramadan in a sample of young, physically active men. Information was also collected on dietary intake, muscle soreness, fatigue, and mental stress over the three periods. Fourteen physically active men (age: 21.6 ± 3.3 years, height: 1.77 ± 0.06 m, body-mass: 73.1 ± 9.0 kg) completed the Hooper questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and responded to the digit cancellation test (DCT) fifteen days before Ramadan, during the last ten days of Ramadan and 20 days after Ramadan. The PSQI results indicated that sleep duration was significantly longer before Ramadan (p = 0.003) and after Ramadan (p = 0.04) compared to during Ramadan and was longer before Ramadan than after Ramadan (p = 0.04). In addition, the sleep efficiency was lower during Ramadan in comparison to before Ramadan (p = 0.02) and after Ramadan (p = 0.04). The daytime dysfunction score increased during Ramadan in comparison with before Ramadan (p = 0.01) and after Ramadan (p = 0.04), and the sleep quality score was higher during (p = 0.003) and after Ramadan (p = 0.04) as compared to before Ramadan. The sleep disturbance score increased during Ramadan relative to before Ramadan (p = 0.04). However, Ramadan observance had no significant effect on sleep latency. Mental alertness also decreased at the end of Ramadan compared to before (p = 0.003) or after Ramadan (p = 0.01). Dietary intake, muscle soreness, fatigue, and mental stress as estimated by the Hooper questionnaire remained unchanged over the three periods of the investigation (p > 0.05). In conclusion, Ramadan observance had an adverse effect on sleep quantity and on mental alertness, but not on sleep quality. However, dietary intake, muscle soreness, fatigue, and mental stress remained unaffected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychophysiological Response in Sports)

Review

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19 pages, 588 KiB  
Review
Towards a Sustainable Nutrition Paradigm in Physique Sport: A Narrative Review
by Eric R. Helms, Katarina Prnjak and Jake Linardon
Sports 2019, 7(7), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7070172 - 16 Jul 2019
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 28017
Abstract
Physique athletes strive for low body fat with high lean mass and have higher body image and eating disorder rates than the general population, and even other weightlifting populations. Whether athletes with a background or tendency to develop these issues are drawn to [...] Read more.
Physique athletes strive for low body fat with high lean mass and have higher body image and eating disorder rates than the general population, and even other weightlifting populations. Whether athletes with a background or tendency to develop these issues are drawn to the sport, or whether it drives these higher incidences, is unknown. However, the biological drive of cyclical energy restriction may contribute to binge-eating behavior. Additionally, requisite monitoring, manipulation, comparison, and judgement of one’s physique may contribute to body image concerns. Contest preparation necessitates manipulating body composition through energy restriction and increased expenditure, requiring dietary restraint and nutrition, exercise, and physique assessment. Thus, competitors are at mental health risk due to (1) pre-existing or predispositions to develop body image or eating disorders; (2) biological effects of energy restriction on eating psychology; and (3) dietary restraint attitudes and resultant physique, exercise, and nutrition monitoring behavior. In our narrative review we cover each factor, concluding with tentative best-practice recommendations, including dietary flexibility, slower weight loss, structured monitoring, gradual returns to offseason energy intakes, internal eating cues, appropriate offseason body compositions, and support from nutrition and mental health professionals. A mental health focus is a needed paradigm shift in bodybuilding nutrition practice and research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychophysiological Response in Sports)
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