Search Results (51)

Background: Psychological determinants are increasingly recognized as central contributors to both performance decline and recovery in competitive sport; however, contemporary evidence integrating injury-related and non-injury performance contexts remains fragmented. Objective: This systematic review synthesized empirical evidence (2016–2025) examining psychological determinants associated with return to sport (RTS), reinjury risk, burnout, injury incidence, and performance decline among competitive athletes. Methods: Conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus identified peer-reviewed studies published between January 2016 and December 2025. Eligibility criteria were defined using a PICO framework. Prospective cohort studies, longitudinal multi-wave investigations, one randomized controlled trial, matched cohort studies, diary-based designs, and injury-related observational studies were included. Due to heterogeneity in constructs and outcomes, findings were synthesized narratively. Results: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, including prospective cohort studies, multi-wave longitudinal designs, one randomized controlled trial, one matched cohort study, and a diary-based investigation. Seven independent cohorts examined psychological readiness using the Anterior Cruciate Ligament—Return to Sport after Injury scale (ACL-RSI) in athletes with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (sample sizes ranging from n = 39 to n = 384), consistently demonstrating that higher readiness predicted successful RTS at 6–24 months, while two prospective studies reported contrasting associations with second ACL injury risk. Four longitudinal studies (n = 93–491) showed that increased burnout and controlled motivation predicted performance decline and dropout trajectories, whereas higher resilience and mental toughness reduced burnout progression. One seasonal longitudinal study (n = 21) linked elevated cognitive anxiety and mood disturbance to increased injury incidence. Conclusion: Psychological determinants operate across deterioration and restoration pathways. Psychological readiness shows the strongest predictive consistency for RTS, while burnout, motivational climate, and resilience significantly shape long-term performance sustainability and injury-related outcomes. Full article

Early adolescent sport dropout is commonly explained through individual psychological factors such as declining motivation, burnout, or identity conflict. While valuable, these accounts often assume parental logistical and financial support as a stable background condition. This conceptual article introduces the Utilitarian Shift as a novel, family-level structural mechanism that helps explain why sport dropout peaks during early adolescence. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, sociological perspectives on family investment, and developmental psychology, the framework conceptualizes dropout as emerging from a developmentally timed recalibration of parental investment. During childhood, parental support is largely sustained by custodial and broad developmental incentives; however, as adolescents gain functional independence and perceived developmental returns decline, continued investment becomes conditional rather than assumed. At the same time, sport system demands intensify through specialization pressures, rising costs, and selection mechanisms such as the Relative Age Effect. The convergence of declining perceived returns and escalating costs prompts rational parental withdrawal of logistical and financial support, thereby dismantling the material infrastructure required for sustained participation. Importantly, this withdrawal precedes and reshapes adolescents’ capacity to enact motivation, agency, and resilience, rather than merely responding to disengagement. The article situates early adolescent sport dropout as a relational and structurally mediated process, shifting analytic attention away from athlete-centered deficit models toward dynamic parental decision-making within marketized youth sport systems. Practically, the framework highlights the need for sport organizations and governing bodies to redesign participation pathways and value propositions that sustain parental engagement during early adolescence, even in the absence of elite performance trajectories. Full article

Sport persistence is a key factor in maintaining a sporting career and preventing dropout from sport. Among psychological and social factors, social support plays a prominent role as a protective factor that strengthens self-esteem and reduces the risk of burnout, as does the perfectionist climate, which is motivating in a supportive environment but places psychological burdens on athletes in its maladaptive forms. The research aimed to explore the extent to which the sport persistence of young athletes can be explained by different sources of social support (parental, teacher, peer) and the dimensions of the perfectionist climate (expectations, criticism, control, conditional respect, anxiety), as well as the role played by gender. We conducted a cross-sectional, quantitative study involving 1105 young people aged 14–25 who regularly participate in sports. We used validated questionnaires to measure sports persistence, social support and perfectionist climate. We used regression and mediation models to analyse the data. According to the analyses, parental and teacher support contributed to increased sport persistence, while peer support had no significant effect. Among the dimensions of the perfectionist climate, expectations were positively related to persistence, while criticism was negatively related. Gender also indirectly influenced sports persistence, with its effect partly mediated by social support and the perfectionist climate. The results indicate that parental and teacher support, along with an emphasis on healthy expectations, are vital for strengthening sports persistence. In contrast, a critical, controlling climate was associated with lower persistence among female athletes in the present sample. Full article

This study introduces a fully uncertainty-aware forecasting framework for NBA games that integrates team-level performance metrics, rolling-form indicators, and spatial shot-chart embeddings. The predictive backbone is a recurrent neural network equipped with Monte Carlo dropout, yielding calibrated sequential probabilities. The model is evaluated against strong baselines including logistic regression, XGBoost, convolutional models, a GRU sequence model, and both market-only and non-market-only benchmarks. All experiments rely on strict chronological partitioning (train ≤ 2022, validation 2023, test 2024), ablation tests designed to eliminate any circularity with bookmaker odds, and cross-season robustness checks spanning 2012–2024. Predictive performance is assessed through accuracy, Brier score, log-loss, AUC, and calibration metrics (ECE/MCE), complemented by SHAP-based interpretability to verify that only pre-game information influences predictions. To quantify economic value, calibrated probabilities are fed into a frictionless betting simulator using fractional-Kelly staking, an expected-value threshold, and bootstrap-based uncertainty estimation. Empirically, the uncertainty-aware model delivers systematically better calibration than non-Bayesian baselines and benefits materially from the combination of shot-chart embeddings and recent-form features. Economic value emerges primarily in less-efficient segments of the market: The fused predictor outperforms both market-only and non-market-only variants on moneylines, while spreads and totals show limited exploitable edge, consistent with higher pricing efficiency. Sensitivity studies across Kelly multipliers, EV thresholds, odds caps, and sequence lengths confirm that the findings are robust to modelling and decision-layer perturbations. The paper contributes a reproducible, decision-focused framework linking uncertainty-aware prediction to economic outcomes, clarifying when predictive lift can be monetized in NBA markets, and outlining methodological pathways for improving robustness, calibration, and execution realism in sports forecasting. Full article

The loss of a limb is an event that significantly affects an individual’s quality of life, with implications not only for autonomy in daily activities but also for their ability to interact with others. At the same time, current prostheses often fail to meet the user’s needs, resulting in high drop-out rates. In this review, we investigated the primary causes of prosthesis abandonment and analyzed them by highlighting the technological and psychological aspects associated with current devices. Technological issues due to reliability, functionality and comfort, together with psychological issues related to anxiety and depression, are among the main factors contributing to prosthesis rejection. Social aspects, sport, and community activities play crucial roles in improving the sense of belonging and acceptance of prosthesis users. Although research has often prioritized functionality, prosthesis development should follow patient-centered models that address the individual needs and requirements of patients, emphasizing psychological, rehabilitative, and technological support. Full article

Participation in organized sports may have a positive effect on mental health, but documentation is based on methodological limitations. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of dropout from organized youth sport on change in mental health and subjective well-being. A total of 1046 young persons (13–18 years old), all participating in organized sport at baseline, were included. Data on mental health and subjective well-being were collected at baseline and again after two years. Participants who were into organized sports and participants who reported other types of informal movement activity two years later reported less increase in negative affect over time compared to participants who had dropped out of sports and did not get involved in other types of movement activity. For positive affect, there was a credible difference in change between those who dropped out of organized sport but did not get involved in an alternative physical activity and those who were still active in organized sports. The results indicate that dropout from traditional youth sports might have a negative influence on well-being, but involvement in other types of informal and negotiable movement contexts might buffer the potential negative effects. Full article

(1) Background: This study analyzed the effects of intervention programs conducted between 2021 and 2025 as part of the “Aula UCLM-FNCLM” initiative—a partnership between a regional swimming federation and the university—on psychosocial factors in trained swimmers. This program presents interventions for swimmers, their coaches, their families, and their sports environment. (2) Methods: The effects of a 4-year intervention program on the Castilla-La Mancha swimming team, classified as Tier 3 (Tier 3: Highly Trained/National Level), according to the McKay classification framework (2021 team with 55 swimmers, 25 men, and 30 women; 17.3 ± 5.3 years), and the same sample in 2025 (42 swimmers, 19 men, 23 women—17 ± 2.8 years—and 11 dropouts). A self-perception questionnaire on performance in sport (CAED) was used. (3) Results: The results showed higher ratings (p < 0.001, η² = 0.30) from the swimmers of the 2025 CLM team in the coach factor, and moderate changes in the roles played by family (p < 0.05, η² = 0.12) and environment (p < 0.05, η² = 0.11). The only factor that did not improve was personal characteristics. (4) Conclusions: The UCLM-FNCLM program has contributed to improving the role of factors related to performance in sport (coach, family, and sports environment) in a cohort of regional-based swimmers. Full article

This paper develops a belief-based dynamic optimisation framework to explain career continuation decisions in settings characterised by monopsonistic employment and asymmetric performance evaluation. Extending Holmström’s career concerns model, we consider agents who must decide whether to continue or exit their vocation based on subjective beliefs updated from noisy signals. Unlike the original framework, our model assumes a single institutional employer and limited feedback transparency, turning the agent’s decision into an optimal stopping problem governed by evolving belief thresholds. Analytical results demonstrate how greater signal noise, higher effort costs, and more attractive outside options raise the probability of exit. To validate the framework, we confront belief-based dropout decisions using original survey data from over 8000 football referees in Europe, showing that threats, unmet development expectations, and perceived stagnation significantly predict dropout. The results offer practical insights for institutions, such as sports federations, academic bodies, and civil services, on how to improve retention through increased transparency and better support structures. This study contributes to the literature by integrating optimal stopping theory and dynamic labor models in a novel context of constrained career environments. Full article

Organised sport is one potential antidote to the global youth inactivity crisis. Therefore, understanding why young people drop out constitutes a key research endeavour. In part I of this series, we developed and validated a new Youth Sport Dropout Questionnaire (YSDQ). In part II, we used the YSDQ-LV (49-item long version) to examine dropout in 960 university students from seven European countries. A four-stage analysis investigated the relative and combined importance of dropout reasons. Three items—the rocks—were statistically more important: “I prioritised schoolwork and had no time left to take part in sport”; and “I found other things that I enjoyed doing more than sport”; and “I found it stressful when I did not perform/play as well as I expected”. On average, however, these rocks were rated as “moderately important”, along with 19 reasons (the pebbles) rated as “slightly important to moderately important”, and the remaining 27 reasons (the sand) rated as “slightly important to not at all important”. These findings suggest that sport dropout is not caused by a single reason but is underpinned by a dynamic tricky mix of reasons—a series of rocks, pebbles, and sand unique to each young person. Full article

Despite the widespread health benefits of physical activity, globally, four out of five adolescents are insufficiently active. Sport participation, a key vehicle for physical activity, diminishes by as much as 80% as children get older. To date, no theoretically grounded, validated research measure of dropout exists. In this two-paper series, we attempt to resolve this issue via the development, initial validation, and application of the Youth Sport Dropout Questionnaire. In the current paper—Part I—we used the COM-B framework to design and initially validate the Youth Sport Dropout Questionnaire. Three sequential studies were conducted. Study 1 includes a review of the existing literature, an expert consultation, and participant focus groups. Study 1 generated 49 reasons for youth sport dropout. Study 2 explored the functionality of the 49 items in a sample of 479 students. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 28-item four-factor solution. Study 3 tested the dimensionality and reliability of scale in a sample of 648 students from seven European countries. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a final 16-item, four-factor solution, suggesting that reasons for dropout behavior were captured by capability (C), opportunity (O), motivation (M) with the important new addition of injury (I). This initial validation supports the YSDQ as a rigorous research tool to capture the reasons underpinning youth sport dropout behavior. Full article

Background: Motivation is a crucial factor in maintaining athletic performance and preventing dropout among competitive athletes. This process is influenced by both physical and psychosocial factors, which interact and shape decision—making regarding continued participation or withdrawal from sports. Aim: This study examines the motivational level of competitive swimmers in Romania, related to the dropout perspective. Methods: In order to conduct the research, the AMI (Achievement Motivation Inventory)—a validated psychometric tool was used in two distinct phases, conducted six months apart. The study included N = 20 swimmers, finalists and medalists in national swimming competitions. The intervention consisted of motivational coaching, personalized training plans, and the development of mental skills. Results: The results highlighted significant improvements in dimensions such as success confidence, compensatory effort, and goal-setting, indicating the positive effects of the intervention on athletes’ motivation. Inferential analysis using Student t-test confirmed significant differences between the initial and final assessments, for eagerness to learn (p = 0.035), status orientation (p = 0.03) and the Wilcoxon test revealed significant difference for general motivational index (p = 0.020). Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of psychological approaches in training high-performance athletes, showing that maintaining motivation and clarifying goals are essential factors in preventing sports dropout. The conclusions of this research can serve as a foundation for developing coaching strategies aimed at supporting continuity in performance swimming and reducing the dropout rate among competitive swimmers. Our findings confirm similar studies emphasizing the role of the training patterns and coach influence not just on the performing athlete, but also on his psychosocial individual development. Full article

The objective of this study was to characterize bone, muscle, and fat measurements in early adulthood by youth sport participation. The study sample included 328 Iowa Bone Development Study participants (184 females). Organized sport participation was longitudinally assessed (14 times on average) using a physical activity questionnaire from age 6 to 17 years. At age 23 years, bone, lean mass (a proxy measure of muscle mass), and fat mass were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Tibial bone stiffness, a bone strength indicator, was determined using high-resolution multi-row detector computed tomography (CT) and Finite Element Analysis. Longitudinal youth sport participation patterns were categorized into consistent participation, drop-out, and no participation. Sex-specific multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between youth sport participation patterns and bone mineral content (BMC), lean mass index (LMI), fat mass index (FMI), BMC-to-lean ratio, lean-to-fat ratio, and tibial bone stiffness at age 23 years. After adjusting for covariates, males in the consistent youth sport participation and drop-out groups had 377 g and 192 g higher BMC, 1.6 kg/m² and 1.5 kg/m² higher LMI, and 112 kN/mm and 76 kN/mm higher bone stiffness at age 23, compared to males in the no-participation group (p < 0.01). Females in the consistent youth sport participation group had 1.4 kg/m² lower FMI at age 23, compared to females in the no-participation group (p = 0.04). The BMC-to-lean ratio was higher among males (p = 0.02) and females (p < 0.01) in the consistent participation group, compared to their counterparts in the no-participation group; the lean-to-fat ratio also tended to be higher in males (p = 0.06) and females (p = 0.11). This study suggests sex differences in the benefits of youth sport participation on adulthood body compartments: healthier bone and muscle for males and healthier body fat for females. This study provides evidence to support the promotion of youth sport participation for healthy body composition later in life. Full article

The growing sports betting market works on the premise that sports are unpredictable, making it more likely to be wrong than right, as the user has to choose between win, draw, or lose. So could football, the world’s most popular sport, be predictable? This article studies this question using deep neural networks to predict the outcome of football matches using publicly available data. Data from 24,760 matches from 13 leagues over 2 to 10 years were used as input for the neural network and to generate a state-of-the-art validated feature, the pi-rating, and the parameters proposed in this work, such as relative attack, defence, and mid power. The data were pre-processed to improve the network’s interpretation and deal with missing or inconsistent data. With the validated pi-rating, data organisation methods were evaluated to find the most fitting option for this prediction system. The final network has four layers with 100, 80, 5, and 3 neurons, respectively, applying the dropout technique to reduce overfitting errors. The results showed that the most influential features are the proposed relative defending, playmaking, and midfield power, and the home team goal expectancy features, surpassing the pi-rating. Finally, the proposed model obtained an accuracy of 52.8% in 2589 matches, reaching 80.3% in specific situations. These results prove that football can be predictable and that some leagues are more predictable than others. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on adolescents’ physical activity, sports involvement, and feelings of loneliness remain inadequately understood. This study aimed to explore the shifts in leisure-time physical activity, sports participation, and loneliness among adolescents before and during the pandemic, positing that the pandemic has led to decreased physical activity and sports engagement, as well as heightened loneliness, where more active adolescents experience lower loneliness levels. This study included a prior four-year follow-up cohort from the same region two decades earlier to explore the existence of typical longitudinal aging effects in a cohort not affected by the pandemic. Methods: Prospective and longitudinal data from two cohorts of the Young-HUNT Study two decades apart involving adolescents aged 13–19 years were utilized. The controls were as follows: Cohort 1 from the Young-HUNT1 (YH1) Survey included 2399 adolescents with follow-up in the Young-HUNT2 (YH2) Survey four years later. Cohort 2 included the Young-HUNT4 (YH4) Survey (2017–2019) of 8066 adolescents, with a subset of 1565 participants followed up in the Young-HUNT COVID Survey (YHC) (2021) after exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. Changes over time were assessed using McNemar’s tests and dependent sample T-tests, while multinomial logistic regression modeled within-individual changes in loneliness, adjusting for age, gender, and other factors. Results: The findings revealed a significant decline in physical activity and sports participation in both cohorts from early to late adolescence. Additionally, there was a considerable increase in reported loneliness, more after exposure to the pandemic and especially among girls, but without any difference in historical initial levels (between cohorts). Inactive adolescents faced a greater risk of increased loneliness, while those participating in sports had a lower risk of loneliness. Physically inactive boys had a higher risk of loneliness compared with physically active boys at both time points in Cohort 2, which was higher than in the control Cohort 1. There was no historical difference between initial assessments. Conclusion: Adolescents experienced a significant decrease in physical activity and sports participation, along with increased loneliness, from early to late adolescence. Given the protective benefits of physical activity against loneliness and the negative longitudinal trends observed, public health initiatives should focus on increasing physical activity and reducing sports drop-out rates among adolescents to combat rising loneliness. Full article

Young people aged 11 to 17 often fail to meet global recommendations for weekly physical activity and sports (PAS), despite its numerous benefits. In Spain, challenges such as excessive technology use and disinterest in PAS are prominent among youths. This study aimed to analyse the interest in PAS during leisure time and identify the factors influencing young people in a Spanish municipality towards this practice, as well as establish differences according to age and gender. Involving 891 adolescents (429 girls, 432 boys, and 30 other genders), this study found a significant association between gender and PAS participation. Boys are mainly motivated by fun and fitness, girls by health and fun, and other genders by perceived sports competence and health, with these motivations increasing with age. Deterring factors include fatigue, laziness, and lack of enthusiasm across all groups. Lack of free time is the most cited reason for quitting PAS, particularly for girls and other genders. For boys, disinterest, especially between ages 13 and 15, is a primary reason. These findings suggest that promoting PAS with a focus on health and leisure, and tailoring programmes to gender and age-specific needs, are essential to maintain motivation and ensure a healthier, more active population. Full article