Examining the effects of a mindfulness-based biofeedback intervention on self-regulation and sport performance in soccer athletes

Elite athletes are constantly in search of methods that optimize training, including physical and mental strategies that enhance performance. It is well known that thoughts and feelings, particularly during the stress of competition, can impact performance (Weinberg & Gould, 2014). Trainers and athletes seek methods that will help them manage inner states and responses related to thoughts, emotions, and attention. Such methods often focus on developing self-awareness of thoughts, emotions, and physiological states and are designed to lead to self-regulation, or the ability to manage those states and responses during training and competition. Two techniques that have received attention in sport research are biofeedback and mindfulness training. Biofeedback leverages technology to monitor a person’s physiological reactions and display them in a simple, easy to understand manner. This allows for greater self-awareness and self-regulation of physiological responses. Mindfulness training relies on present-moment, non-judgmental awareness of thoughts and feelings. To date, a number of studies have reported some benefits for athletes’ physiological or psychological outcomes, but few report actual sport performance changes (Blumenstein & Orbach, 2014; Sappington & Longshore, 2015). A new self-regulatory strategy, mindfulness-based biofeedback, seeks to integrate the features of mindfulness training into a traditional biofeedback intervention protocol (Khazan, 2015). Athletes learn skills in present-moment, physiological and cognitive self-awareness, and consequently, self-regulation. To date, only a few studies have discussed this new technique in sport (Khazan, 2016), and none present empirical evidence for its effectiveness. The current study used a single-subject design to explore a mindfulness-based biofeedback intervention with female soccer athletes (n=4), using direct measures of physiology, psychology, and sport performance. Physiological outcomes included heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, skin conductance, and skin temperature. Psychological outcomes included scores on the CSAI-2, and the MAAS. Sport performance was measured using the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT). Clear performance improvements were seen for all athletes, with physiological and psychological results being more variable. Physiological parameters showed improvement, while psychological variables were mixed with some signs of increased anxiety, decreased self-confidence, and decreased mindfulness. Although outside confounding factors could have contributed to increases in anxiety, decreases in mindfulness may have actually been an indication of the development of improved self-awareness. Athletes appeared to have benefited from the mindfulness-based biofeedback intervention. As this study was the first to examine mindfulness-based biofeedback training in a sport setting, the stage has been to set to more fully explore this promising athletic mental training technique

To focus or not to focus: Is attention on the core components of action beneficial for cycling performance?

We conducted a counterbalanced repeated measure trial to investigate the effect of different internal and external associative strategies on endurance performance. Seventeen college-aged students were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions to test the notion that different attention-performance types (optimal Type 1, functional Type 2, and dysfunctional Type 3) would influence endurance time on a cycling task. Specifically, Type 1 represented an effortless and automatic, “flow-feeling” attentional mode. Type 2 referred to an associative focus directed at core components of the task. Type 3 represented an attentional focus directed at irrelevant components of the task. Participants completed three time-to-exhaustion-tests while reporting their perceived exertion and affective states (arousal and hedonic tone). Results revealed that Type 1 and Type 2 attentional strategies, compared to Type 3 strategy, exerted functional effects on performance, whereas a Type 3 strategy was linked to lower performance, and lower levels of arousal and pleasantness. Applied implications are discussed

Biofeedback's effect on sports performance: a meta-analysis and analysis of moderators

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston UniversitySince the late 1970s, research and applied work has focused on the use of biofeedback as a technique to assist in the development of sports performance through different means, including improvement of sports skills, reduction of injuries, and improvement of muscle strength, among others. However, there is no scientific work statistically comparing these implementations using biofeedback. A meta-analysis was designed towards this gap in the literature; 33 investigations were gathered and statistically compared. Dependent variables, (e.g. the type of biofeedback, and the number of biofeedback sessions) were treated as moderators and their effect on the overall analysis were calculated. A random effect model was used due to the presence of heterogeneity across studies (I^2 = 54.95 (p<0.001, 95% CI), that included variations on the studies' compared outcomes. The meta-analysis' overall result showed a significant effect of biofeedback interventions on sports performance through a strong effect size, d = 0.72, with a high significance Z= 6.77, p<0.001, (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51 - 0.93). Significant moderators' effects were found indicating that studies using EMG modality (d= 0.891, 95% CI 0.60 -1.18,p < 0.001, Z= 6.05), studies with the number of sessions higher than 8 (d = 0.84, 95% CI 0.40 -1.27, p<0.001, Z= 3.77), studies targeting outcomes indirectly linked to sports performance (d = 0.91, 95% CI 0.59- 1.22, p<0.001, Z = 5.64), and studies using biofeedback along with other interventions (d = 0.90, 95% CI 0.48 -1.32, p<0.001, Z= 4.18) had higher effect on the overall analysis. The meta-analysis findings are an important reference for researchers and practitioners using biofeedback, because they indicate that biofeedback interventions have a positive effect on sports performance. Moreover, the meta-analysis point to methodological factors playing an important role on interventions using biofeedback, as studies that had a greater effect were those with methods using EMG biofeedback modality, studies with more than eight biofeedback sessions, studies focusing on outcome measures indirectly related to sports performance, and studies that included biofeedback interventions along with other interventions

Motor skill control and learning in aiming sports: a psychophysiological account of the neural efficiency and quiet eye phenomena

This thesis aimed to increase our understanding of the psychophysiological correlates of superior motor performance in target sports by providing an integrated account of the models of neural efficiency (Hatfield & Hillman, 2001) and quiet eye (Vickers, 2007). To this end, I conducted a series of four studies adopting a multimeasure approach to record brain activity- using electroencephalography (EEG)- eye movements- using electrooculography (EOG)- and movement kinematics- using motion sensors- in a golf putting task. The findings of these studies led me to propose an integrated neural efficiency-quiet eye model arguing that superior motor performance is achieved through refinement of cortical activity - reflected in regional gating of alpha oscillations- whereby movement-related information processing is promoted and at the same time insulated from other psychomotor processes that are unrelated with,. or detrimental to, fine motor control. The findings of my studies indicate that visual perception is inhibited.during the final stages of preparation for action, and suggest that the quiet eye phenomenon reflects a general psychomotor quiescence that facilitates clean and smooth movements. This thesis demonstrates the utility of psychophysiology in human movement science and builds some methodological and conceptual foundations for interdisciplinary research on the correlates of superior motor performance

Enhancement of Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation Outcomes of Post-Stroke Patients Using Movement-Related Cortical Potential

Post-stroke rehabilitation is essential for stroke survivors to help them regain independence and to improve their quality of life. Among various rehabilitation strategies, robot-assisted rehabilitation is an efficient method that is utilized more and more in clinical practice for motor recovery of post-stroke patients. However, excessive assistance from robotic devices during rehabilitation sessions can make patients perform motor training passively with minimal outcome. Towards the development of an efficient rehabilitation strategy, it is necessary to ensure the active participation of subjects during training sessions. This thesis uses the Electroencephalography (EEG) signal to extract the Movement-Related Cortical Potential (MRCP) pattern to be used as an indicator of the active engagement of stroke patients during rehabilitation training sessions. The MRCP pattern is also utilized in designing an adaptive rehabilitation training strategy that maximizes patients’ engagement. This project focuses on the hand motor recovery of post-stroke patients using the AMADEO rehabilitation device (Tyromotion GmbH, Austria). AMADEO is specifically developed for patients with fingers and hand motor deficits. The variations in brain activity are analyzed by extracting the MRCP pattern from the acquired EEG data during training sessions. Whereas, physical improvement in hand motor abilities is determined by two methods. One is clinical tests namely Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) which include FMA-wrist, FMA-hand, MAS-hand movements, and MAS-advanced hand movements’ tests. The other method is the measurement of hand-kinematic parameters using the AMADEO assessment tool which contains hand strength measurements during flexion (force-flexion), and extension (force-extension), and Hand Range of Movement (HROM)

Secrets of Asian sport psychology [Introduction]

Secrets of Asian Sport Psychology is a collection of 22 chapters in which applied practitioners from the Asian-South Pacific region provide accounts of working with elite athletes in sports at which the country in question excels. So, for example, the text includes accounts of Diving, Gymnastics, and Aerials Skiing in China, Archery, Speed Skating, and Taekwondo in Korea, Baseball and Judo in Japan, Rowing, Track Cycling, and Triathlon in Australia, Rugby in New Zealand, Wrestling in Iran, and so on, all written by sport psychologists who provided support for the elite teams of those countries. Other chapters, notably Boxing in the Philippines, Golf in Taiwan, and Shooting in India, provide case studies of the psychological characteristics of some of the world's best performers, based on the athletes' own accounts of their sporting journeys or accounts provided by those close to them