Background: In the current study, we conducted a comparative analysis involving three distinct groups: one receiving group-based rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), another undergoing a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI), and a third group serving as the control. The aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of the two interventions on specific psychological (competitive anxiety, perfectionism, irrational beliefs), physiological (salivary cortisol levels), and neurocognitive (executive functions: working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility) functions in Hungarian junior ice hockey players. Methods: The participants consisted of 10 females and 36 males (N_REBT=12, N_MINDFULNESS=14, N_CONTROL=20). We used questionnaires to assess competitive anxiety, perfectionism, and irrational beliefs. The components of executive functions were measured using a computerized testing system, while cortisol levels were examined through salivary samples. Prior to and after the interventions, each participant underwent all measurements, after which we conducted repeated measures ANOVA on our data. Results: We found REBT to be an effective intervention for the regulation of competitive anxiety, perfectionism, and irrational beliefs as well as for improving some components of executive functions (inhibition and cognitive flexibility). Mindfulness was found to improve athletes’ processing speed and set-shifting abilities, which are related to cognitive flexibility and metacognitive processes. Conclusion: In conclusion, we explore implications of these findings regarding how each approach is posited to enhance sports performance, using neurocognitive functions as a proxy. These findings are useful for further research and practical implications.

In this study the influence of irrational beliefs and perfectionism on the emergence of competitive anxiety was investigated. While previous studies indicate that higher irrational beliefs predict greater competitive anxiety, in the present study it is hypothesized that this relationship is mediated by perfectionism. A serial atemporal multiple mediation analysis revealed that both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism were significant partial mediators between irrational beliefs and competitive anxiety. The total score and all four subscale scores on irrational beliefs had both direct and indirect effects on cognitive competitive anxiety, the latter effects mediated by both forms of perfectionism. Depreciation beliefs had a direct effect, and demandingness and awfulizing had indirect effects, on somatic competitive anxiety when both forms of perfectionism were entered as mediators. These findings suggest that both irrational beliefs and perfectionism influence the emergence of competitive anxiety, therefore rational emotive behavioral therapy with a focus upon perfectionism may be an effective means of reducing competitive anxiety in athletes.

This paper explores the integration of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) within sports psychology, aiming to enhance athletes' mental health and performance of athletes. Sports psychology, encompassing diverse approaches, prioritizes both the mental well-being and performance of athletes. REBT, a vital component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), revolves around an individual's beliefs influencing emotional, behavioral, and physiological reactions to events. It identifies and replaces irrational beliefs with rational alternatives, as depicted in the GABCDE model, emphasizing the impact of beliefs on reactions to triggering events. Previous research highlighted the detrimental impact of irrational beliefs on athletes' mental well-being, identifying these beliefs as a significant risk factor for the emergence of mental disorders, which in turn lead to compromised performance. The integration of REBT into sports psychology shows promise in reducing anxiety, perfectionism, and irrational beliefs among athletes. Its flexibility allows for swift and powerful interventions, either individually or in group settings, fostering mental resilience and enhancing performance. Sports psychologists and coaches play pivotal roles in recognizing and addressing athletes' irrational beliefs, fostering a rational mindset conducive to stable and positive performance. Integrating REBT into training and performance enhancement offers athletes a stable mental foundation, improving self-confidence and stress management, thereby optimizing sports performance. Overall, the integration of REBT into sports psychology offers a promising avenue to bolster athletes' mental fortitude, optimize performance, and foster a balanced mental landscape, facilitating the attainment of their athletic goals.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychological profile of the 2023 Hungarian National Distance Running Team in terms of personality traits, motivational styles, and competitive anxiety and to explore specific psychosocial factors that characterize the athletes’ mental preparation. The 16 international-level competitors were assessed using validated questionnaires in Hungarian (Big Five Inventory, the revised Sport Motivation Scale, and Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2), and university students competing at professional and semiprofessional levels served as the control group. Results indicated that elite distance runners were primarily intrinsically motivated. Their psychological profile appeared similar to profiles found among athletes in the control group. Significant differences were found in traits, such as openness, conscientiousness, and motivation. Neuroticism was positively associated with athletes’ cognitive and somatic anxiety, with self-confidence providing a protective role. Working with a sports psychologist appeared to have no significant measurable effect on athletes precompetition anxiety. Specific personality traits and motivational structures are essential for elite sporting performance. Further research is needed to better understand and determine the specific components of mental preparation.

The coach–athlete relationship (CAR) is central to athletes’ psychosocial functioning, yet little is known about whether athletes form distinct relational profiles and how these relate to resilience and competitive anxiety. Drawing on the 3C model of CAR and stress-appraisal theory, this study examined (a) whether youth athletes can be grouped into homogeneous CAR profiles and (b) whether these profiles differ in resilience, cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, and self-confidence. Participants were 202 youth ice hockey players from Hungarian state-accredited academies who completed validated measures of CAR (CART-Q), resilience (CD-RISC-10), and competitive anxiety (CSAI-2). Latent Profile Analysis identified four distinct CAR profiles - Partnership, Indifferent, Distanced, and Alienated. Profiles showed meaningful differences in resilience, with the Partnership group reporting the strongest adaptive capacity. They also differed in somatic anxiety and self-confidence, with Partnership athletes reporting lower physiological arousal and higher confidence. Cognitive anxiety did not differ across profiles, suggesting that worry is less influenced by relational quality. These results highlight that athletes experience CAR in qualitatively different ways, with distinct implications for coping and emotional functioning. The findings underscore that athletes differ meaningfully in their relational experiences with the coach, making person-centered approaches essential for accurately understanding how coach–athlete relationships relate to resilience and competitive anxiety. By highlighting distinct relational profiles, the study demonstrates that effective coaching requires both tailored interpersonal strategies and the professional competences needed to adapt communication, support, and structure to individual athletes.

Háttér és célkitűzések: A sportpszichológia egyik leggyakrabban kutatott jelensége a versenyszorongás, amely nemcsak a tudományos kutatásokban, hanem a gyakorlati munkában is gyakran megjelenő pszichológiai probléma. A legnépszerűbb elméleti teória ezen a területen a multidimenzionális szorongás modell, amely a versenyszorongás három komponensét emeli ki: kognitív szorongás, szomatikus szorongás és önbizalom. Korábban már lefordították és adaptálták magyar nyelvre a versenyszorongás mérésére alkalmas Versenyszorongás Skálát (CSAI; Competitive State Anxiety Scale), amelyben már akkor is felhívták a figyelmet a szerzők bizonyos tételek nem megfelelő illeszkedésére. Következésképpen jelen tanulmány célja megvizsgálni a magyar nyelvre adaptált CSAI-2H pszichometriai jellemzőit, tehát érvényességét, megbízhatóságát és standard értékeit. Módszer: Kutatásunkban 407 sportoló vett részt: amatőr és profi, egyéni és csapatsportolók egyaránt megtalálhatók a mintában. Tanulmányunkban a magyar nyelvre adaptált 27 tételes Versenyszorongás Skálát (CSAI-2H) használtuk. A validitás feltárásához megerősítő faktorelemzést alkalmaztunk, a reliabilitást belső konzisztencia és teszt-reteszt elemzésekkel vizsgáltuk, valamint különbségvizsgálatok segítségével elemeztük az esetleges életkori és nemi különbségeket a három skála esetében. Eredmények: Az eredeti 27 tételes CSAI-2H illeszkedési mutatói nem mutatnak megfelelő értékeket a mintánkon, ezért 9 item kizárása mellett döntöttünk. A skálánként 3–3 tétel kizárása után a megerősítő faktorelemzés eredményei elérik a validitáshoz szükséges szintet. A módosított magyar Versenyszorongás Skála belső konzisztenciája és teszt-reteszt eredményei megerősítik a mérőeszköz reliabilitását, továbbá eredményeink alapján meghatározhatók a skálák standard értékei, ahol fontos figyelembe venni a nemek és életkorok közötti különbségeket. Következtetések: Összességében eredményeink alapján kijelenthető, hogy sikerült egy olyan módosított Versenyszorongás Skálát létrehozni, amely megfelelő pszichometriai jellemzőket mutat magyar mintán, tehát egyaránt alkalmas a tudományos kutatásokban és a gyakorlati munkában való felhasználásra.