The lack of understanding of the relationship between emotional intensity, direction, and performance

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the recommendations and limitations and stated research gap and stated challenges and future-work section of the source papers, classified as general, drawn from work published between 2025 and 2026, spanning 7 journals. Those papers have been cited 27 times in total.

Supporting evidence — 8 representative gaps

• Relationships among sport participation, sport and social competence, and mental health symptomatology (2026) · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · doi

  the above the complexity of how best to coach (60). While mastery-oriented, structured practices may be especially effective for developing athletic competence and reducing internalizing symptoms like anxiety and depression, experiential, collaborative methods appear valuable for enhancing social competence and addressing externalizing behaviors. Perhaps, rather than viewing one approach as ’superior’, it may be more appropriate to consider the specific needs of athletes and the goals of the sport environment (i.e., the contextual features), using a flexible combination of both linear skill development and interactive social learning to promote overall mental health and well-being. reflect The implications of this research are especially relevant in light of growing evidence that student-athletes experience substantial stress related to sport and academic demands (13, 15) yet are less likely to seek professional mental health support compared to their non- and Findings also point to the need for balance in youth sport systems. While developing competence appears to be beneficial, prior research suggests that excessive training demands, high- competition may performance pressures, compromise mental health (14). This raises important practical questions regarding the threshold at which sport involvement shifts from being supportive to potentially harmful. Sport volume, stakeholders performance expectations, and athlete well-being, particularly during critical developmental periods. should be elite-level attentive training to

  generalrecommendations
  Keywords: sport competence mental health especially developing social athletes well demands training performance complexity best coach
• The effect of mental toughness on the relationship between irrational performance beliefs and trait anxiety levels of Turkish athletes: a mediation analysis (2026) · Pensar en Movimiento Revista de Ciencias del Ejercicio y la Salud · cited 1× · doi

  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH The findings of this study may be limited by the cultural context in which the athletes were raised and live. Therefore, these topics could be investigated at an international level, incorporating athletes from diverse cultural backgrounds. Given that an individual's beliefs are shaped by environmental factors such as family and peers, as well as their emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to past challenges, future studies could examine the relationship between athletes' irrational performance beliefs and the irrational beliefs of their parents and coaches, who are significant influencers. In addition to cross- sectional studies, practical counseling sessions or training programs based on the Acceptance 17 and Diffusion-based Training (ADDT) implemented to mitigate the adverse effects of athletes' irrational performance beliefs and foster the development of their necessary mental skills. Based on the findings of this study, given that irrational performance beliefs, mental toughness, and trait anxiety are interrelated and that mental toughness and trait anxiety are considered aspects of personality, future research could investigate the relationship between irrational beliefs and constructs from personality theories. This study employed quantitative research design. Further in-depth investigations into these topics could be conducted by incorporating experimental, qualitative, and applied approaches.

  generalrecommendations
  Keywords: beliefs irrational athletes future performance based mental cultural topics incorporating given relationship training toughness trait
• Self compassion as a Protective Mediator Between Childhood Adversity and Stress in Combat Athletes (2026) · Studia Universitatis Babeş-Bolyai Educatio Artis Gymnasticae · doi

  The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, and self-report measures may be subject to recall bias. Future research should employ longitudinal or experimental designs to con�irm the mediating role of selfcompassion and explore additional moderators (e.g., fear of self-compassion, coping styles). Examining physiological stress markers (e.g., cortisol, HRV) alongside psychological variables would provide a more comprehensive understanding of stress regulation in combat athletes.

  generallimitationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: self stress compassion combat mediating role athletes based interest cross sectional design precludes causal inference
• Asociación entre Ansiedad, Ansiedad Precompetitiva, Depresión y Características Psicológicas Relacionadas con el Rendimiento Deportivo en Futbolistas Profesionales (2026) · ISEO Journal · doi

  The study identifies a gap in the understanding of the relationship between anxiety, pre-competitive anxiety, depression, and psychological characteristics related to sports performance in professional soccer players. The study highlights the need for further research on mental health in sports performance.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: study identifies gap understanding relationship between anxiety pre-competitive
• Anxiety, self-confidence, and self-esteem in relation to competitive coping profiles: a multivariate analysis (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi

  The study identifies severe multicollinearity between cognitive and somatic anxiety. The study uses variance inflation factor to assess multicollinearity. The study also identifies the need for further research on the relationships between self-esteem, competitive state anxiety, and coping strategies in athletes.

  generalstated challengesevidence 5/5
  Keywords: study identifies severe multicollinearity between cognitive somatic anxiety
• Emotional profile of athletes before competition: contributions for perceived stress, cognitive appraisal and coping strategies (2025) · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · cited 11× · doi

  The lack of understanding of the relationship between emotional intensity, direction, and performance. The need to examine the cognitive appraisals and coping strategies associated with different emotional profiles. The gap in the study of emotions in athletes, particularly in the context of competition.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: lack understanding relationship between emotional intensity direction performance
• COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY AS A PROTECTIVE SHIELD? THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF INJURY ANXIETY ON PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN ACTIVE ATHLETES (2026) · Ankara Üniversitesi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Yüksekokulu SPORMETRE Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi · doi

  There is a need to examine the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between injury anxiety and psychological well-being. Prior research has highlighted the importance of cognitive flexibility, but its role in regulating psychological well-being among active athletes is not well understood.

  generalstated research gapevidence 4/5
  Keywords: there need examine mediating role cognitive flexibility relationship
• Competitive Anxiety, Sports Injury, and Playing Category in Youth Soccer Players (2025) · Children · cited 15× · doi

  Further research is needed to explore the relationship between competitive anxiety and injury risk in youth soccer, - Studies should investigate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing competitive anxiety in youth soccer players, - Research should examine the role of other psychological factors, such as self-efficacy and motivation, in injury risk and prevention

  generalfuture-work sectionevidence 4/5
  Keywords: further research needed explore relationship between competitive anxiety

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