Special Issue "Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sidonio Serpa
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Physical Education & Sport, Lusofona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
2. Laboratory of Sport Psychology, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Dafundo, Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: sport psychology; performance psychology; psychology of elite sport; mental training; doping in sport
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Beckmann
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
2. School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
3. Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland
Interests: performance processes; clinical sport psychology; neurophysiological aspects of sport performance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent years have shown an increasing concern with the negative side-effects of the elite sport system. The causes of physical and mental health issues become increasingly addressed. Demands for a sustainable development of athletes have been expressed. The sustainability sciences had an outstanding development in the last 20 years. After the United Nations General Assembly, established in September, 2015, the 17 sustainable development goals, it not only stimulated sustainability research and actions, but also opened the spectrum of scientific disciplines interested in the topic. For example, such goals as number three (good health and well-being), four (quality education), or eight (decent work and economic growth) attracted the interest of different fields of psychology beyond the first approaches developed by environmental psychology. In fact, psychology for sustainability takes into account a number of issues such as (i) the ecological and social-economic positive environment in order to improve quality of life and well-being; (ii) the development of human psychological resources aiming at personality development and thereby increase resilience and prevent psychological problems and maladaptive behaviors; (iii) the risk of being forced to overcome the limited resources of the human organism to respond to the social demands; (iv) the balance to accomplish individual and organizational success with the need to preserve health respecting the physical and mental limits.
Both competitive and participation sport raise important issues to be studied by sport psychology that match the above stated goals. For example, the currently dominant model of elite sport involves a primacy of performance for success and records over athletes’ physical and mental health. Athletes are continuously forced to their limits, which may lead to injuries, health and well-being problems. The International Olympic Committee consensus statement on mental health in elite athlete highlighted this problem in 2020. Additionally, in order to compensate for the exhaustion of physical and psychological resources substance abuse may be instigated (e.g., consuming doping and performance enhancement substances). This leads to the need of restructuring training systems as well as organizational goals and ethics in processes where sport psychology has as an important role, both to contribute to changing attitudes and behaviors, and to include psychological development tools and strategies in athletes´ preparation, and positive managing practices within the sport organizations.
Developing athletes’ psychological skills and resilience to cope with competitive and social demands contributes to prevent physical and particularly mental health  problems while helping to find a balance between competitive demands, organizational goals and athletes’ mental health and well-being.
There is vast evidence that exercising in nature has a beneficial impact on health and psychological well-being, as well as supporting physical and mental recovery.  This involves that exposure to nature may also result in increased stability of sport performance and prolonged athlete careers. Moreover, interaction with nature seems to increase empathy and pro-environment attitudes.
A new approach to sport psychology from the lens of sustainable development is opening to researchers and practitioners. This special issue aims at discussing sport psychology approaches to develop sustainable goals related to psychological health and well-being in competitive and participation sport programs and strategies. We invite authors to submit research articles, literature reviews or conceptual papers.

Prof. Dr. Sidonio Serpa
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Beckmann
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 papers will be 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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 1900 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

  • Athlete’s mental health
  • Athlete’s well-being
  • Blue exercise
  • Education for sustainability
  • Elite sport
  • Ethics
  • Green exercise
  • Nature connectedness
  • Natural environment
  • Olympic sport
  • Outdoor sports
  • Participation sport
  • Physical activity
  • Positive psychology
  • Primary prevention
  • Psychological climate
  • Psychological skills
  • Psychological training
  • Psychology for sustainability
  • Recovery
  • Resilience
  • Social environment
  • Sport goals
  • Sport organizations behavior
  • Sport organizations climate
  • Sustainability
  • Sustainable development
  • Sustainable sport organizations

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

Article
The Effects of Different Natural Environment Influences on Health and Psychological Well-Being of People: A Case Study in Selangor
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8597; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158597 - 02 Aug 2021
Viewed by 399
Abstract
Background: People benefit from the recreational services provided by an urban corridor, urban park, and urban forest. Due to ongoing land-use interest and urban development, however, these natural environments are coming under increasing pressure. Simultaneously, the world is becoming increasingly urbanised, and living [...] Read more.
Background: People benefit from the recreational services provided by an urban corridor, urban park, and urban forest. Due to ongoing land-use interest and urban development, however, these natural environments are coming under increasing pressure. Simultaneously, the world is becoming increasingly urbanised, and living in cities has been linked to mental health issues. On the other hand, different natural environments are known to create healthier environments, and the need for effective restorative environments has never been greater. The purpose of the study was to compare the impacts of walking in different natural environments. Methods: I) Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve, II) Mutiara Damansara Recreational Park, and III) the Urban Green Corridor along Jalan PJU 7/2 were used as control study sites in this study. Each site was visited only once by the study participants (40 women and 40 men). Walking for 30 min was a part of the experiment. To identify the psychological effects of different natural environments, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS21), Profile of Mood States (POMS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS) were utilised. Results: In all three natural environments, the restorative effects were found to increase significantly. Conclusion: The overall conclusion of the field experiment is that being in an urban green corridor can also provide a refreshing environment. In terms of stress reduction among working adults, the recreational park is sufficient, while urban-forested areas are more effective in improving mental health by minimising stress, anxiety, and depression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
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Article
Perceived Health, Depression and Psychological Well-Being in Older Adults: Physical Activity and Osteoarticular Disease
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8157; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158157 - 21 Jul 2021
Viewed by 345
Abstract
Osteoarticular diseases are one of the effects of aging, and they are related to physical, psychological, and social functions. Physical activity seems to slow the start and progression of these kinds of illnesses and presents benefits for psychosocial health. The main aim of [...] Read more.
Osteoarticular diseases are one of the effects of aging, and they are related to physical, psychological, and social functions. Physical activity seems to slow the start and progression of these kinds of illnesses and presents benefits for psychosocial health. The main aim of the study was to investigate the possible effect of physical activity level (Yale Physical Activity Survey) on quality of life (SF-36 Health Questionnaire), subjective psychological well-being (Psychological Well-being Scale), and depression levels (Geriatric Depression Scale), depending on osteoarticular illness. The sample consisted of 263 Spanish adults aged 65 to 98 years who had high or low physical activity (assessed by YPAS Questionnaire) and osteoarticular disease. Results show that physical activity influences the perceived quality of life, depression levels, and subjective well-being in older adults regardless of osteoarticular disease. The present study suggests the need for promoting physical exercise due to its proven positive impact on older adults’ mental health, entailing a significant reduction in the risks of suffering from a variety of frequent diseases and disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
Article
Dispositional Mindfulness and Injury Time Loss in Soccer
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 8104; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13148104 - 20 Jul 2021
Viewed by 436
Abstract
Soccer injuries have a low prevalence, albeit prompting detrimental effects for individuals and teams, particularly with prolonged convalescence periods. Age and injury severity appear as the most robust correlates with recovery duration. The role of dispositional mindfulness remains unknown, however, despite considerable evidence [...] Read more.
Soccer injuries have a low prevalence, albeit prompting detrimental effects for individuals and teams, particularly with prolonged convalescence periods. Age and injury severity appear as the most robust correlates with recovery duration. The role of dispositional mindfulness remains unknown, however, despite considerable evidence that highlights positive effects of mindfulness on injury rehabilitation. This study sought to examine whether dispositional mindfulness explained additional variability in injury time loss in an elite sample of soccer players (N = 207). A series of moderated regression analyses examined whether dispositional mindfulness interacted with either age or injury severity in explaining the length of recovery from an injury. The main findings suggest that dispositional mindfulness was unrelated with length of recovery. In contrast, age and injury severity related robustly with the length of lesion recovery, which was even longer for the older players with very severe injuries. The current findings constitute a novelty in the study of injuries in soccer and open new research lines to determine whether mindfulness interventions are likely to contribute to shorten objective rehabilitation length for a more sustainable approach to sports injury Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
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Article
Determining Factors of Psychological Performance and Differences among Age Categories in Youth Football Players
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7713; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147713 - 10 Jul 2021
Viewed by 445
Abstract
Within the determining factors of psychological performance, mental toughness is considered a multidimensional factor, comprising cognitive, affective, and behavioural components together with self-confidence, which is related to success in sports performance as well as psychological health and well-being. The aim of this study [...] Read more.
Within the determining factors of psychological performance, mental toughness is considered a multidimensional factor, comprising cognitive, affective, and behavioural components together with self-confidence, which is related to success in sports performance as well as psychological health and well-being. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between different factors composing mental toughness and age categories in young football players, in order to determine the presence of specific psychological skills in their formative progression. A total of 118 male players (16.91 ± 2.42 years old) completed the Spanish version by Cernuda (1988) of the original Psychological Performance Inventory (PPI) by Loher (1982, 1986). The results indicated significant differences in four variables (negative energy control, attention control, visual and image control, motivational level) on three different age categories, where the U19 category showed the best results for all the variables, decreasing afterwards in the semi-professional category. Significant correlations were established between mental toughness variables and age categories, where the age category variable was significantly correlated in a positive way with attention control, visual and image control, and motivational level. In the same line, the variable self-confidence correlated positively with negative energy control, attention control, motivational level, attention control, and positive energy. The assessment of psychological variables such as mental toughness, taking into account the formative stage, may be helpful for both coaches and players when selecting adequate mental skill training for improving competitive performance and sporting success, as well as for positive and healthy psychological development and well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
Article
Initial Positive Indications with Wearable Fitness Technology Followed by Relapse: What’s Going On?
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7704; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147704 - 09 Jul 2021
Viewed by 521
Abstract
The motivational influence of wearable fitness technology (WFT) on increasing physical activity (PA) is unclear, and improvements in PA have been shown to be driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In the current study, PA (daily number of steps), moderate to vigorous [...] Read more.
The motivational influence of wearable fitness technology (WFT) on increasing physical activity (PA) is unclear, and improvements in PA have been shown to be driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In the current study, PA (daily number of steps), moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, and muscular strength training were measured over 6 months on, originally, 16 randomly selected sedentary community workers (mean age = 51 years). Moreover, self-determined motivation (Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2) was measured before, midway, and after a 6-month intervention program that included motivational interviewing, as well as the use of WFT and a structured outdoor gym program. Our findings showed WFT, in combination with motivational interviewing, initially helped the participants meet recommended guidelines for PA in terms of at least 10,000 steps per day, and at least 150 min of moderate aerobic activity per week. There was a large decrease in participants’ PA and increase in introjected motivation between the first half (3 months) and the second half of the intervention (6 months). The increase in introjected motivation suggests that toward the end of the 6-month intervention, participants engaged in PA to satisfy external demands or avoid guilt, which may lead to less-persistent behavior change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
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Article
Flourishing in Young Adults: The Role of Achievement Goals, Participation Motivation, and Self-Perception Levels in Physical Activity Contexts
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7450; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137450 - 02 Jul 2021
Viewed by 394
Abstract
This study aims to determine how achievement goals, participation motivation and self-perception levels in physical activity environments relate to the flourishing of young adults. The general purpose of the study was also to examine differences in selected variables of young adults flourishing in [...] Read more.
This study aims to determine how achievement goals, participation motivation and self-perception levels in physical activity environments relate to the flourishing of young adults. The general purpose of the study was also to examine differences in selected variables of young adults flourishing in physical activity environments. To achieve our aims, the recruited sample consisted of 580 young adult exercisers ranging in age from 18 to 40 years from fitness centers in Izmir, Turkey. Participants completed a personal information form, the Flourishing Scale, the 2 × 2 Achievement Goals Questionnaire for Sport (2 × 2 AGQ-S), the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS), and the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ). We examined correlations, regressions, and path models with our measured variables. Flourishing relates significantly (p < 0.001) and positively with global self-esteem, the mastery-approach goal, intrinsic motivation, and global physical self-concept. Our path model suggested that the mastery-approach goal, intrinsic motivation, and global self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between global physical self-concept and flourishing. Our findings help to inform alternative approaches for cultivating exercisers’ flourishing. However, knowledge on how to support and develop flourishing is still under-researched in sport and exercise settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
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Article
Mood Profiling for Sustainable Mental Health among Athletes
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6116; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116116 - 28 May 2021
Viewed by 369
Abstract
Mood responses are a well-established mental health indicator. Gauging mental health status over time often involves periodic mood assessment using a standardized measure, a process referred to as mood profiling. Comparison of observed mood scores against relevant normative data is central to effective [...] Read more.
Mood responses are a well-established mental health indicator. Gauging mental health status over time often involves periodic mood assessment using a standardized measure, a process referred to as mood profiling. Comparison of observed mood scores against relevant normative data is central to effective mood profiling. The primary purpose of our study was to improve existing norms for the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) using a large internet sample. The secondary purpose was to discuss how mood profiling can be used to promote sustainable mental health primarily among athletes but also with relevance to non-athletes. The BRUMS was completed via the In The Mood website by 15,692 participants. Significant differences between observed mean scores and existing normative data were evident for all six mood dimensions, prompting norm refinement. Specific group norms were generated to address sex differences in mood responses and differences by athlete/nonathlete status. The revised tables of normative data for the BRUMS should be used by researchers in future investigations of mood responses and by applied practitioners seeking to monitor mood responses as an indicator of mental health status. Applications of mood profiling with elite athletes are exemplified, along with recommendations for using mood profiling in the pursuit of sustainable mental health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
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Article
Predicting Effects of ADHD Symptoms and Mindfulness on Smartphone Overuse in Athletes: A Basic Psychological Needs Perspective
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6027; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116027 - 27 May 2021
Viewed by 432
Abstract
Informed by basic psychological need theory, this study was undertaken to examine the relationship between self-reported symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mindfulness, basic psychological need satisfaction/frustration, and smartphone overuse among athletes. Athletes (n = 360, Mage = 20.27, male = [...] Read more.
Informed by basic psychological need theory, this study was undertaken to examine the relationship between self-reported symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mindfulness, basic psychological need satisfaction/frustration, and smartphone overuse among athletes. Athletes (n = 360, Mage = 20.27, male = 72.5%) completed a survey that measured the outcomes of interest. Path analysis indicated that greater ADHD symptoms were both directly related to higher smartphone overuse scores and indirectly related to greater smartphone overuse scores via need frustration. Higher mindfulness scores were associated with lower levels of need frustration and greater levels of need satisfaction. Mindfulness moderated the positive association between ADHD symptoms and need frustration. Specifically, the positive association between ADHD symptoms and need frustration was attenuated in the presence of higher levels of mindfulness among participants with a lower risk of ADHD. Surprisingly, the same association was heightened among participants with a higher risk of ADHD. These findings highlight the significant role of need frustration in explaining the underlying process from ADHD symptoms to smartphone overuse. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
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Article
Physical Activity Is Related to Mood States, Anxiety State and Self-Rated Health in COVID-19 Lockdown
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5444; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105444 - 13 May 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 527
Abstract
The main goal of this research is to study the relationships between physical activity, mood states and self-rated health in the Spanish lockdown (March 2020–April 2020) due to the state of alarm caused by COVID-19. The participants were 328 people aged between 19 [...] Read more.
The main goal of this research is to study the relationships between physical activity, mood states and self-rated health in the Spanish lockdown (March 2020–April 2020) due to the state of alarm caused by COVID-19. The participants were 328 people aged between 19 and 59 years (M = 37.06; SD = 10.82). Females comprised 63.70% of the participants, and 36.30% were male. An associative, comparative and predictive design was used in this research. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Profile of Mood State (POMS), the state anxiety scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Questionnaire (STAI) and the General Health Questionnaire GHQ−12 were applied in order to measure the study variables. Both correlation and linear regression analyses were performed, showing that physical activity is positively related to health perception and mood. Similarly, data have shown that moderate physical practice predicts better health perceptions and positive mood states than vigorous physical activity. Specifically, moderate physical activity is the only variable that predicts the anxiety state (R = 0.22; R2adjusted = 0.05; F = 15.51; p < 0.001). In addition, it has been detected that mood is related to the perception of the state of health. Outcomes suggest that practicing moderate physical activity during these types of situations could amortize its negative effects on psychological health and benefit a more positive mental state. Future studies should consider the employment status of the sample to detect possible differences based on this variable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
Article
Motivation for Physical Activity in University Students and Its Relation with Gender, Amount of Activities, and Sport Satisfaction
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3183; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063183 - 14 Mar 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 634
Abstract
Background: Motivation can be considered a critical factor in encouraging and maintaining physical activity. Despite the many health benefits offered by physical activity, a significant percentage of university students do not meet recommendations. University years are a critical time for promoting and maintaining [...] Read more.
Background: Motivation can be considered a critical factor in encouraging and maintaining physical activity. Despite the many health benefits offered by physical activity, a significant percentage of university students do not meet recommendations. University years are a critical time for promoting and maintaining an active lifestyle. This study aimed to analyze motivations for engaging in physical activity among university students and their relationship with gender, amount of sports activity, and satisfaction with sports activity. Methods: The sample consisted of 1099 Vizcaya university students (45.3% men and 54.7% women), aged between 18 and 29 years old (M = 20.4; SD = 1.7 years). Sports motivation, the number of weekly hours of physical activity, and the level of satisfaction with sports were analyzed. (3) Results: Significant differences were found in intrinsic (d = 0.36, p = 0.000) and external regulation (d = 0.19, p = 0.002), men having a higher motivation level compared to women in these dimensions, but not in participants’ level of satisfaction. The effect of gender on the amount of physical activity was mainly direct, but motivation was significantly mediating. In addition, there was not a significant effect of gender on level of satisfaction, but analyzing its limited effect in the sample, the mediation of intrinsic regulation was significant. (4) Conclusions: To understand the variance of the amount of physical activity and satisfaction in university students, the direct effect of gender must be considered as well as the mediating role of some dimensions of motivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
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Article
Gender-Typed Sport Practice, Physical Self-Perceptions, and Performance-Related Emotions in Adolescent Girls
Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8518; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208518 - 15 Oct 2020
Viewed by 791
Abstract
Youth sport experience provides opportunities for physical, personal, and social development in youngsters. Sport is a social system in which socially constructed gender differences and stereotypes are incorporated, and specific sport activities are often perceived as gender characterized. The objective of this study [...] Read more.
Youth sport experience provides opportunities for physical, personal, and social development in youngsters. Sport is a social system in which socially constructed gender differences and stereotypes are incorporated, and specific sport activities are often perceived as gender characterized. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between some salient physical and emotional self-perceptions and the type of sport practiced. A sample of 261 female athletes, aged 14–21 years (Mage = 15.59, SD = 2.00), practicing different sports, categorized as feminine (e.g., artistic and rhythmic gymnastics), masculine (e.g., soccer and rugby), or neutral (e.g., track and field and tennis), took part in a cross-sectional study. Significant differences were observed between aesthetic sports and other types of sports. Athletes involved in aesthetic sports reported the lowest values in their feelings of confidence and the highest values in feelings of worry related to competition. This may be attributed to the evaluation system of aesthetic sports, in which the athlete’s performance is evaluated by a jury. At the same time, they reported low values of dysfunctional psychobiosocial states associated with their general sport experience, likely because of their physical appearance close to the current body social standards for girls. Notwithstanding the differences by type of sport, athletes of all disciplines reported high mean values of functional psychobiosocial states, suggesting that their overall sporting experience was good. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Psychology and Sustainable Health and Well-being)
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