Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41194890›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in psychology2025

The effects of biofeedback training on athletes' mental health and performance: a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis.

Xuda Zhang, Zhizhao Chang, Shiao Zhao, Ziheng Ning

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Xuda ZhangFaculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macau, Macao SAR, China.
Zhizhao ChangSports Teaching and Research Department, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Shiao ZhaoFaculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macau, Macao SAR, China.
Ziheng NingFaculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macau, Macao SAR, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Biofeedback and neurofeedback are increasingly used in sports psychology, yet their overall effectiveness for athletes' mental health, athletic performance, and cognitive performance remains unclear. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials across eight databases and performed Bayesian random-effects meta-analyses. Study selection used ASReview with the SAFE rule; full-text screening was done in Covidence; risk of bias followed Cochrane guidance; certainty of evidence was appraised with GRADE. Results: Forty-one studies met inclusion. Pooled effects were statistically significant across domains: mental health µ(SMD)=0.76 (95% CrI 0.44-1.09), athletic performance µ(SMD)=0.88 (0.69-1.05), and cognitive performance µ(SMD)=0.81 (0.48-1.14). Conclusion: Biofeedback and neurofeedback benefit athletes across mental, athletic, and cognitive outcomes. Given heterogeneity and sample sizes, further rigorous trials are warranted to refine the estimates. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration CRD420251015094.

Indexed as

athletic performanceBayesian meta-analysisbiofeedbackmental healthneurofeedback

Identifiers

PMID41194890
PMCPMC12583207

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.