BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
The BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (BJSPHD) is the result of the joint efforts of two institutions that, throughout their history, have distinguished themselves in the production of knowledge and the development of solid practices in the field: the Laboratory of Studies and Research in Sport Psychology (LEPESPE), at São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Rio Claro, and the Brazilian Association for Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology (ABEPPEx). It is interdisciplinary in nature, focusing on the areas of Sport Psychology and Human Development, including their relationship with technology and new media. We encourage the publication of works covering topics ranging from school Physical Education to high-performance sports, from childhood to aging, and the broad areas of the Human Sciences, focusing on human movement and its nuances. This is a continuously published journal, fully available in digital format and with free access. The journal adopts an Open Access policy, ensuring broad dissemination and democratization of scientific knowledge. BJSPHD uses the OJS (Open Journal Systems) system for its publication and is hosted on the Journal Portal of the Library of the São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Rio Claro, which provides the infrastructure for the journal to operate.
Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” – Rio Claro – SP, Brasil
This essay addresses the contributions of an investigative and reflective teaching approach in school Physical Education to human development and body education. Through a theoretical essay grounded in specialized literature, it seeks to understand how critical reflection on pedagogical practices can promote the integral development of students, considering physical, emotional, social, and cultural aspects. School Physical Education, based on reflective and interdisciplinary methodologies, plays an essential role in the formation of critical, autonomous, and conscious citizens, capable of interacting positively with society. The study also highlights the importance of continuing teacher training as a central element for the qualification of pedagogical practices and for the realization of transformative education.
Copyright (c) 2026 BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (BJSPHD) https://web.archive.org/web/20211227112857/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Teacher-student interaction in the age of social media
Digital social networks have profoundly transformed the dynamics of interaction between teachers and students, especially in São Paulo's public education system. This action-research study involved 146 teachers from the São Paulo state school system and sought to understand how these professionals perceive, experience, and redefine their pedagogical relationships amidst the intensive use of digital platforms. The investigation shows that, while social networks expand the possibilities for communication, proximity, and student engagement, they also impose challenges related to exposure, the boundaries between personal and professional life, and new demands for pedagogical mediation. The analysis shows that networks function as hybrid spaces, where educational, affective, and social dimensions intertwine, requiring teachers not only to adapt technologically but also to exercise ethical and reflective sensitivity in dealing with issues such as privacy, teacher authority, and the building of relationships. Inspired by Castells' (2013) concept of network society, this article points out that the educator's role is not limited to the transmission of content, but involves the critical mediation of young people's communication practices in digital environments. The results reinforce the need for public policies and continuing education that help teachers understand the risks and potential of social networks, transforming them into pedagogical tools and spaces for constructive dialogue in the teaching-learning process.
Physical exercise, life satisfaction, and anxiety among psychology professionals
The psychotherapeutic relationship can lead psychology professionals to experience feelings of personal and professional burnout, resulting in high levels of anxiety and decreased life satisfaction. Given the beneficial effects of physical exercise (PE), this study evaluated the relationship between regular PE practice, life satisfaction indices, and generalized anxiety disorder in psychology professionals. Ninety-nine psychologists (M = 17, F = 82) with a mean age of 36.8 years participated in the study. All participants reported practicing PE weekly, with weight training and supervised training being the main strategies reported. Psychologists who regularly practice PE and have more years of experience in the profession showed greater life satisfaction than their peers with less than 1 year of practice and less than 10 years of experience (p=0.001; p=0.002, respectively). We therefore conclude the relationship between the aspects studied, highlighting the importance of this study in contributing to guiding practices that benefit psychology professionals towards a healthier life, even with the challenges that the profession presents.
The relationship between motivation and the state of flow in sports
This study aimed to highlight, based on the theoretical assumptions of the Motivation and Action, Achievement Goal Theory (AGT), and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the relationship of each with the development and facilitation of flow states through a systematic-narrative review. Searches were conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases, extracting 200,660 studies which, after applying the adopted inclusion and exclusion criteria, were reduced to 15. The results showed a predominance of SDT as the theory researched in relation to flow, accounting for 9 of the 15 manuscripts. One article considered both SDT and AGT as theoretical perspectives. AGT had 4 publications. The Motivation and Action theory was considered, based on its dimension of effort to perform the task, in 3 of the 15 articles. This study points to the need to understand the multidimensional, complex, and dynamic aspect of motivation in its relationship with flow. There is a scarcity of studies that integrate and interrelate theoretical perspectives on motivation with flow states.
Cognitive assessment and physical performance in professional wheelchair basketball athletes
Objective: To evaluate the cognitive, physical, and emotional skills of professional wheelchair basketball (WBC) athletes from the Brazilian men's national team compared to sedentary non-wheelchair users. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study including 12 WBC athletes (G1) and 13 sedentary non-wheelchair users (G2) as a control group. Cognitive assessment was performed using NeuroSports Arena® software via virtual reality glasses, which measured reaction time (RT) and decision time (DT), reaction quality (RQ) and decision quality (DQ), attention (AT), impulsivity control (IC), and peripheral vision (PV), and is based on simple reaction and Go/No-go tasks. In addition, the software also assessed emotional factors and mood, such as mood, stress, and disposition at the moment, and sleep quality the previous night. In the physical assessment, the 20-meter acceleration test, the YoYo Intermittent Endurance 1, and the Running Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) were used. Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the groups. However, several intragroup correlations were observed. Conclusion: No statistically significant differences were found between the groups; however, within G1, correlations were observed between cognitive and physical performance, as well as between emotional factors and cognitive performance.
Luciane Aparecida Pascucci Sande de Souza
Mental resilience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
This study proposes the Theoretical Model of Resilience in the Tap Cycle (TMR-TC), a conceptual framework designed to operationalize psychological resilience within the specific context of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Unlike conventional sports where adversity is often linked to macroscopic events such as chronic injuries or season-long defeats, BJJ offers a granular and frequent experience of acute stress through the submission mechanism. The TMR-TC is rooted in the Grounded Theory of Psychological Resilience and incorporates five fundamental protective pillars: positive personality, motivation, confidence, focus, and social support. The model approaches resilience not as a static trait but as a dynamic process structured into three interdependent stages: The Anticipation Phase, the Moment of Decision (The Tap), and the Reintegration Phase. During the Anticipation Phase, resilience is manifested through the maintenance of homeostasis and inhibitory control under pressure, preventing psychophysiological disintegration. In the Moment of Decision, the act of submission is analytically reconfigured via metacognition, transforming a "threat appraisal" to the ego into a "challenge appraisal" focused on the adaptive acceptance of biomechanical reality. Finally, the Reintegration Phase consolidates the cycle through a cognitive reset that dissociates the emotional weight of defeat from technical learning efficacy. It is concluded that the TMR-TC provides a cognitive architecture for systemic preservation, promoting athletic longevity and mental health by validating the axiom that learning is the direct byproduct of processed adversity. This framework offers essential tools for practitioners, particularly in Master categories, to transition from a survival mindset to a flourishing one, ensuring optimized psychophysiological functioning and sustained performance in high-pressure environments.
Stress and anxiety in university athletes and handball professionals in different sports contexts
The study sought to identify and compare the level of anxiety (trait-state) and stressful situations in handball, in different sports contexts. The two variables were evaluated in a sample of 29 athletes, of whom 20 were professionals (Bauru team), and nine were university athletes (Unesp team). A questionnaire was used to characterize the sample. Data collection took place before important games for both teams. Results showed that there was no difference in the level of anxiety (trait-state) between the two teams, and that some stressful situations were similar for both. However, each team also mentioned specific stressful situations that were not previously found in the literature. Other results were related to the characteristics of the athletes in these contexts. Significant differences and correlations for some variables were found, such as how long the athletes had been on the teams, their ages, and time of practice. The relevance of this study lies in the facts that the characteristics of the athletes in the two contexts are different, but the stressful situations in handball are the same in general, and that each team considers some specific situations to be stressful.
Perception and mood of youth volleyball athletes after the team's defeat
This study aims to investigate the perception and mood states of youth volleyball athletes after defeat in official competitions. A total of 483 male athletes, aged 17 to 19 years, participated in the research, all of them competing in the 2024 São Paulo State Interior League Championship. Data collection was carried out through direct and systematic observations, field notes, a sociodemographic questionnaire, and an open-ended questionnaire on mood states. The theoretical framework addressed mood states, resilience, and experiences of defeat in team sports. The methodological approach was ethnography, which allows for an in-depth and contextualized understanding of the sporting experience. Expected results suggest that defeat can trigger negative emotional reactions but also foster resilience and learning processes, depending on how athletes and teams collectively process such experiences. This study contributes to Sport Psychology by expanding the understanding of subjective aspects involved in competitive youth sports.
Family, sports training, personality and aggression
This study investigated the predictive factors of competition anxiety in 179 athletes, analyzing variables related to personality, aggressiveness, family context, and sports training. The results, obtained through multiple regression, indicated that trait anxiety is a significant predictor of both physical and cognitive anxiety symptoms. Female athletes showed greater vulnerability to both types of symptoms. Competitive experience (competing for titles) acted as a protective factor against physical symptoms, while a higher frequency of weekly training reduced cognitive symptoms. Self-confidence was positively predicted by personality traits such as extraversion and neuroticism, and by the volume of daily training hours. The findings suggest the existence of two athlete profiles: a more anxious one, who benefits from experience and training frequency, and a more self-confident one, influenced by personality and daily training volume. The study concludes that personalized interventions, considering gender, personality, and training structure, are essential for managing anxiety and optimizing psychological performance in sports.
Physical activity, depression and elderly population
Objective: To map the global evolution of scientific production on physical activity and depressive disorders in the elderly (2015–2025) and to uncover structural biases in the literature. Method: A bibliometric analysis of 9,876 documents from SCOPUS was conducted. Data were processed using Rayyan (blind screening), Biblioshiny (trend detection), and VOSviewer (network analysis). A selective filtering strategy was applied to reduce semantic noise and reveal genuine thematic clusters. Results: Scientific output quadrupled in the last decade, with a 47.9% surge during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021), redirecting focus toward clinical trials. Network analysis revealed a critical gender bias: while female health is central to mental health clusters, male mental health appears “invisible,” statistically submerged within cardiovascular disease clusters. Furthermore, a dichotomy was identified between physical interventions (robust clinical trials) and psychosocial outcomes (fragmented by heterogeneous psychometric scales). Conclusion: Although physical activity is consolidated as a non-pharmacological pillar in gerontology, the field suffers from methodological fragmentation. Future research must prioritize longitudinal designs and standardization of assessment tools to overcome the current “data babel.” Additionally, there is an urgent need to address the male aging perspective, moving beyond the treatment of depression merely as a somatic comorbidity.
Rapid performance recovery after an unfavorable start is common in sport but lacks specific conceptual delimitation. This article proposes Reactive Motivational Activation (RMA) as a situational and transient psychological process of remobilization following the perception of suboptimal performance, when the athlete judges that the result can still be reversed during the ongoing task. The theoretical model describes a functional sequence involving perceived discrepancy from the goal, appraisal of reversibility, self-efficacy belief, acute motivational activation, and feedback-guided self-regulatory adjustments, culminating in subsequent performance improvement within the same competitive episode. The construct is differentiated from stable motivational traits, resilience, coping, and psychological momentum by emphasizing a rapid state change triggered by a specific negative cue. From the model derive observable predictions and a preliminary set of dimensions for future psychometric operationalization. RMA thus provides a theoretical framework to investigate recovery processes during sport performance and to guide interventions at critical moments of competition.
Competitive anxiety plays a pivotal role in athletic performance and remains a central theme in Sport Psychology. Conceptually, it encompasses both somatic (physiological) and cognitive (psychological) dimensions, where the latter may manifest positively as self-confidence or negatively as performance-impairing anxiety. The Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) framework acknowledges that athletes respond uniquely to competitive stressors, underscoring the need for personalized monitoring tools. Thus, this study presents the development and evaluation of Ansiedômetro, a web and mobile application designed using the Design Science Research (DSR) method to assess and visualize individual competitive anxiety levels. The app was structured through four development stages (planning, research, implementation, and testing), with usability feedback collected from both athletes and coaching staff. Participants praised the app's user interface, analytical capabilities, and real-world utility. Results suggest that Ansiedômetro not only facilitates the understanding of competitive anxiety but also empowers users to make informed decisions aimed at performance optimization. The tool was well-received and demonstrated direct impact on users' performance insights. Future steps involve broader dissemination and long-term user engagement to strengthen its role in applied Sport Psychology.
Copyright (c) 2026 BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT https://web.archive.org/web/20211227112857/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Pre-competition anxiety in young athletes
One of the most analyzed psychological phenomena in sports, particularly among young athletes, is pre-competitive anxiety, due to its direct connection with performance, motivation, and emotional well-being. This article presents a case study conducted over a semester with female Artistic Gymnastics and Handball teams, examining expressions of pre-competitive anxiety, related elements, and psychological interventions performed. The research indicates that psychoeducational interventions, strengthening group identity, and cognitive-behavioral techniques resulted in more effective emotional regulation, greater cohesion, and improved emotional awareness among the athletes. The importance of constant and integrated psychological intervention in the youth sports context is discussed.
The demand for performance at all costs in youth high-performance sports has contributed to the normalization of violent practices and discourses, negatively affecting the development and psychological health of young athletes. In this context, it becomes necessary to rethink the ways of competing and to promote a sporting culture based on respect, cooperation, and human development. This study aimed to investigate the meanings and senses attributed by the participants to non-violent competition before and after a Sports Psychology intervention. Grounded in Cultural-Historical Psychology, the research adopted the pedagogical intervention research method, involving 15 male athletes from an under-17 volleyball team. The intervention consisted of a learning pathway composed of four psychosocial workshops focused on reflection and the practical experience of non-violent competition. Data analysis was conducted using the Nuclei of Meaning technique proposed by Aguiar and Ozella (2013). The results revealed changes in the participants’ perceptions, emotions, and competitive behaviors, who came to understand competition as a space for learning, cooperation, and respect, in opposition to logics of rivalry and extreme pressure. It is concluded that practices based on non-violent competition can foster athletes’ integral development and transform violent conceptions that have become naturalized in the sports context. Keywords: Sports Psychology; Cultural-Historical Psychology; Non-violent Competition; Intervention.
This study investigates the complex relationship between youth academy soccer players and digital social media, analyzing their usage patterns, motivations, and perceived career impacts. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combined a qualitative focus group with U-15 athletes and a quantitative questionnaire administered to 40 U-17 athletes. The results reveal a complete digital immersion, with 100% of participants using Instagram. Usage is strategic: beyond socialization, these platforms serve as a tool for early personal brand building, where young athletes carefully curate their posted content, prioritizing "the best highlights" while omitting mistakes. Notably, the athletes demonstrate significant psychological resilience. The majority (75%) perceive criticism as an incentive for improvement and are not discouraged by a lack of engagement (60%), maintaining a clear hierarchy where "soccer is life" and "social media is a hobby." The study's most critical finding is the existing institutional gap. While 73% of the questionnaire respondents stated they receive guidance from their club on social media use, the focus group unanimously denied this, revealing that current policies are prohibition-based—such as restricting internet access—which the young athletes admit to circumventing. The research concludes that the modern youth athlete is a sophisticated digital actor who manages their own image and uses social media for learning. However, this autonomy develops in the absence of effective institutional support. The study recommends that clubs replace prohibition with dialogue by implementing media literacy programs to prepare young athletes for the challenges of the digital environment, recognizing that the development of an athlete in the 21st century is inseparable from their development as a connected citizen.
This work proposes a theoretical-epistemological review of moral behavior, articulating three main axes: the normative foundation of morality in Kant's practical philosophy; the transition to the empirical field of moral psychology, where morality is understood as a multidimensional construct; and sport as a privileged field for the manifestation and problematization of morality in action. Starting from Kantian ethics, founded on the categorical imperative and rational autonomy, the shift from a normative focus to developmental, affective, and contextual approaches to moral behavior is discussed. Sport is analyzed as a space in which moral values ​​are constantly strained by interests, group norms, and competitive pressures. It concludes that understanding morality in sport requires integrating philosophical foundations and empirical investigations, recognizing it as a complex and formative ethical terrain.
Copyright (c) 2025 BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT https://web.archive.org/web/20211227112857/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Managing doubts and fears in challenging situations
This article analyzes the management of doubts and fears in challenging situations experienced by adolescent judo athletes, investigating how these affects are experienced, expressed, and regulated in the competitive context. The research, with a qualitative and participatory approach, was developed during the 2024 São Paulo Judo Championship, involving 186 athletes, aged between 16 and 18 years. Data were collected through a field diary produced throughout direct interaction with the athletes in training, concentration periods, and pre- and post-fight moments. The results indicate that doubts and fears emerge as central elements in the sporting experience, influencing perception of competence, performance, and decision-making. It was observed that strategies such as dialogue with coaches, social modeling, emotional self-regulation, and cognitive reinterpretation are fundamental for the adequate management of these emotions. The analysis indicates that, although fear can compromise performance, it can also function as an organizing element of action when properly managed. The study contributes to broadening the understanding of the psychological processes involved in combat sports, especially during the transition from adolescence to competitive adulthood. In the end, new questions are presented for future research, highlighting the need to understand the impacts of the competitive environment, leadership styles, and the pressures of sports socialization.
Copyright (c) 2025 BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Sport constitutes a space for social and emotional development, where parents play a crucial role in the well-being and motivation of young athletes. This article analyzes the effects of parental behavior in the sporting context, presenting the Communication Effectiveness Model as a framework for understanding and promoting effective interactions between parents and child-athletes. This model proposes that positive communication profiles enhance confidence and enjoyment of sports practice, while negative communication profiles generate anxiety and withdrawal. The article also proposes practical guidelines for balanced parental communication, centered on understanding, active listening, and reinforcing effort. It concludes that the quality of parental communication is crucial to transforming sport into a space for mutual growth, where parents and children learn, through experience, the true meaning of growing together.
Mental health of LGBT seniors and psychological management through sports practice.
Aging is a natural process that can develop healthily, through the maintenance of functional capacity and mental health, or in a marked way, through senility, characterized by loss of autonomy. Among the protective factors that contribute to active aging, physical activity stands out, especially for vulnerable populations such as the LGBT+ community, frequently exposed to minority stress resulting from discrimination, prejudice, and social exclusion. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between LGBT+ elderly and the practice of physical activity, identifying benefits, barriers, and possibilities for intervention. This is a narrative review conducted using searches in the databases SciELO, BVS, CAPES, and PubMed, with the descriptors in Portuguese and English “LGBT elderly 'physical activity'” and “LGBT elderly 'physical activity'”. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 articles published since 2020 were analyzed. The results show that physical activity contributes to the reduction of depressive symptoms, increased self-esteem, strengthened resilience, and improved quality of life for LGBT+ older adults. However, significant barriers persist, such as homophobia, ageism, lack of inclusive spaces, negative past experiences, and economic difficulties. It was also observed that different subgroups of the community present specific vulnerabilities and motivations: lesbian and bisexual women, for example, face higher rates of obesity and health problems, while gay men frequently experience sports practice mediated by aesthetic issues and ageism. Community strategies, such as collective dance interventions, proved effective in promoting belonging and social support. It is concluded that physical activity is a powerful resource in promoting the physical and mental health of LGBT+ older adults, provided it is accompanied by inclusive policies, professional support, and collective strategies that consider the internal diversity of the community.
Sports experiences of university students and their associations with self-esteem and self-efficacy
This study investigated the possible relationships between sports experiences and the level of self-efficacy and self-esteem of university athletes from the state of Pernambuco. Participating were 48 athletes of both sexes (26 men and 22 women) practicing the following sports: futsal (n=15); handball (n=9); volleyball (n=17); and basketball (n=7). The athletes had an average age of 22.98 years (SD=3.21) and a time of practice in their sport of 81.46 months (SD=62.96) and a weekly training frequency of 2.62 times (SD=0.76). The results showed that self-efficacy was significantly (p < 0.05) and positively associated with experiences of initiative (r = 0.50), social skills (r = 0.44) and negatively associated with social exclusion (r = -0.42). Self-esteem was negatively associated with self-efficacy (r = -0.29). The experience of initiative showed a positive association with basic skills (r = 0.29), interpersonal relationships (r = 0.39), social skills (r = 0.49) and adult network (r = 0.36), as well as a negative association with stress (r = -0.27), social exclusion (r = -0.38) and inappropriate behavior (r = -0.33). Basic skills showed a positive association with interpersonal relationships (r = 0.53), social skills (r = 0.39), and adult network (r = 0.30). Finally, social skills were positively associated with interpersonal relationships (r = 0.54). It was concluded that university sports experiences were associated with self-efficacy and, to a lesser extent, self-esteem.
José Roberto Andrade do Nascimento Junior
The participation of women with disabilities in amputee football represents advances in social inclusion and the strengthening of Paralympic sport. This case study, with a quantitative and qualitative approach, investigated the motivational factors and aspects of inclusion of athletes from the first Brazilian national team in the sport through a semi-structured questionnaire applied to ten athletes who participated in the first Women's World Cup. The analysis combined descriptive statistics and content analysis. The main motivators identified were the pleasure of practicing the sport and social recognition, although the athletes reported challenges such as the lack of recognition and financial support. We conclude that the sport is a tool for personal and social development, requiring institutional and financial support to strengthen the female presence in Paralympic sport.
This article analyzes the phenomenon of protocooperative social networks, in which digital platforms, although formally competing, cooperate indirectly through the massive replication of content, the action of recommendation algorithms, and the growing use of generative artificial intelligence. Interplatform replication transforms communication flows into redundant structures, concentrating informational power in a few intermediaries and reducing the diversity of voices and perspectives. The study also discusses the cognitive, social, and democratic impacts of this model: information overload, reinforcement of bubbles, algorithmic manipulation, and systemic vulnerability. It also addresses the technical and energy implications of this expansion, such as the exponential growth of data storage and the increase in electricity consumption. It concludes that protocooperative networks are not a deviation, but a new form of communication organization, requiring regulatory and social responses commensurate with their complexity. The study proposes ways to mitigate these risks, focusing on algorithmic transparency, decentralization, media literacy, ethical AI, and incentives for original production.
The growing presence of digital social networks has transformed how soccer players communicate, learn, and build their public image. This study aimed to analyze the influence of these platforms on the daily lives, athletic performance, and psychological development of professional and U-20 athletes. Using a mixed-methods approach with a sequential exploratory design, the research was conducted in two complementary phases: qualitative and quantitative. The first involved semi-structured interviews with five professional athletes (including those playing for clubs in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd divisions of the São Paulo State Championship and one athlete with experience in São Paulo clubs and international experience), analyzed using Thematic Content Analysis. The second consisted of an online questionnaire (QRSD) administered to 50 athletes from the professional and U-20 categories of São Paulo clubs, with descriptive and comparative analysis of frequencies in 40 variables. The results showed that social networks are widely used for communication, technical learning, and personal promotion, but also constitute sources of distraction, psychological pressure, and emotional vulnerability. Based on the Bioecological Theory of Human Development, it is understood that the digital environment integrates the athlete's microsystem, influencing their interpersonal relationships and self-regulation processes. Cyberspace emerges as a symbolic field for the construction of identity and sporting knowledge, while the fundamentals of Sports Psychology allow us to understand the effects of networks on motivation, concentration, and mental health. It is concluded that digital social networks play a structuring role in the sporting and personal trajectory of athletes, functioning as spaces for visibility, learning, and expression, but requiring emotional and educational competencies for balanced use. It is recommended that clubs and technical commissions implement digital literacy and psychological support programs, promoting healthy management of online presence and contributing to integral human and sporting development.
Sports initiation is highly relevant today, whether in academic, sporting, or sports literature aspects. However, when this initiation is not developed within an appropriate pedagogy, risk factors quickly emerge, negatively impacting the development of school athletes. These risk factors trigger a process of abandonment in sports practice. The purpose of this study is to analyze sports initiation and the risk factors in the development of athletes. The relentless pursuit of impressive results in the development of athletes goes against the pedagogy of sports initiation in sports modalities, a reality that frustrates children and adolescents who experience training stages that do not correspond to their maturational and psychological reality. Among the risk factors in the development of athletes, it is evident that the methodology used by many sports professionals is not adequate for sports initiation, since the immediacy sought by these professionals adds numerous risk factors such as stress, overtraining, and physical and mental exhaustion. This does not mean that adult athletes do not suffer from these types of problems, but children tend to be less prepared to deal with the systematic practice of high-performance sports and become more susceptible to various factors that are detrimental to their development. The objective of this study was to analyze sports initiation and risk factors in the training of athletes, seeking to assist professionals in the field of physical education and sports regarding risk factors in sports initiation in the training of athletes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Braziian Journal of Sport Psychology and Human Development (BJSPHD) https://web.archive.org/web/20211227112857/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Psychology in motorsports is still an emerging field lacking in in-depth scientific research. Drivers are constantly exposed to intense physical, cognitive, emotional, and social demands, making the role of psychology particularly relevant in this context. This study aimed to map and analyze the existing scientific production on the subject through a narrative review of seven publications: six scientific articles and one book chapter. For the analysis, the materials were organized into three thematic axes: everything on the track, before the track, and beyond the track. The results highlighted the importance of physical and cognitive training for driver performance, revealing a gap in studies focused on the mental health of these athletes. Therefore, we emphasize that deepening this field strengthens Sports Psychology, both in terms of performance and mental health in high-performance sports.
Motivation and the flow state in athletes of individual and team sports.
The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review of studies investigating the variables of motivation and flow state in individual and team sports. Searches were conducted in the electronic databases Scopus, Sport Discus, PubMed, PsycINFO, Science Direct, SciELO, LILACS, and Web of Science. The review included 13 studies published up to 2025; the selected studies were published from 1998 to 2025, using quantitative (84.6%), qualitative (7.7%), and both (7.7%) analyses. Among the instruments used, 92.3% of the studies employed validated questionnaires and 7.07% employed interviews. The samples included athletes of both sexes, representing individual and team sports, participating at various competitive levels such as municipal, regional, national, and international. The results indicated that motivation and flow state were associated with emotional aspects (anxiety, quality of experience, self-efficacy, relaxation, goal orientation, perceived athletic ability, challenge and skill rating) and personal aspects (perception of success, autonomy, apathy, goal identification, achievement, affiliation, competence, and power). It is concluded that the variables motivation and flow state show a positive relationship and support the idea that autotelic personality is a factor that determines individual experiences of flow state. Another relevant finding is that the experience of flow state had positive associations with extreme sports, suggesting that athletes who practice these sports can experience flow. It was also possible to verify that sporting situations that satisfy the basic psychological needs of competence are more associated with flow state, thus demonstrating the relationship between intrinsic motivation and flow state in sport.
This article addresses the growing challenge of burnout in young athletes, characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced perception of competence. The central objective is to present a critical and integrative synthesis of the main theoretical models on burnout in youth sports, articulating their contributions within a multidimensional framework to guide research and practice. Methodologically, the study is based on the integration of five widely recognized theoretical models: the affective-cognitive model of stress (Smith, 1986), the negative response to physical training (Silva, 1990), the sociological model of identity and external control (Coakley, 1992), the integrated model of burnout in sport (Gustafsson et al., 2011), and Self-Determination Theory (Deci; Ryan, 2000). This approach seeks to overcome the fragmentation of existing analyses, recognizing the dynamic interaction between physiological, psychological, and sociocultural variables. The results of the analysis reveal that burnout is a multifaceted process, influenced by situational demands, negative cognitive evaluations, physiological and behavioral responses, as well as personality and motivational factors. The integration of the models allows the identification not only of risk factors, but also of mediating and moderating variables, such as social support and satisfaction of basic psychological needs, which explain the distinct responses of athletes. Finally, the article proposes a multidimensional preventive model structured on five pillars: training load management, development of psychological skills, promotion of autonomy, identity diversification, and a motivational climate supportive of autonomy. This model offers a practical roadmap for coaches, psychologists, managers, and families, aiming to create training environments that reconcile performance, well-being, and human development, contributing to more sustainable sports careers and lasting positive experiences.