Trial reportBMC psychology2026
Effects of a 4-week combined breathing control and self-talk intervention on neural activity and coping skills in athletes: a randomized control trial.
Trial report in BMC psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05042518 (The Effectiveness of Psychological Skill Training on Quantitative Electroencephalogram), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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.
The Effectiveness of Psychological Skill Training on Quantitative Electroencephalogram (EEG) in Athletes Before the Competition
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEffective coping skills are essential for athletes aiming to achieve peak performance. Breathing control and self-talk are recognized as commonly used psychological interventions to support coping. However, their combined effects on neurophysiological and psychological markers have not been examined.
objectiveTo evaluate the effects of a 4-week combined breathing control and self-talk intervention on electroencephalogram (EEG) activity and coping skills in elite national-level athletes.
methodTwenty-six athletes (11 swimmers and 15 gymnasts) were randomized to an experimental or control group. The intervention consisted of 16 sessions over four weeks (four days per week). Resting-state EEG and Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) scores were collected pre- and post-intervention. EEG power spectral density (PSD) across frequency bands was analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, and ACSI-28 subscales were assessed using repeated measures ANOVA.
resultSignificant group differences were found in theta (p < .001) and beta (p = .048) power. The experimental group showed increased theta power in the prefrontal area (p < .001) and decreased beta power in the frontal area (p = .003). Improvements were also observed in ACSI-28 subscales, including coping with adversity (p = .018), concentration (p = .027), confidence and achievement motivation (p = .039), goal setting/mental preparation (p = .009), and peaking under pressure (p = .043).
conclusionThis combined intervention of breathing control and self-talk was associated with changes in neurophysiological markers and psychological coping skills. EEG findings suggest potential changes in neural processes potentially related to anxiety regulation and attention. However, these should be interpreted as indirect neural correlates rather than direct markers of psychological states. Overall, these findings provide preliminary evidence that the combined intervention may represent a promising approach for supporting pre-competition psychological readiness in athletes.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05042518 (09/01/2021). Prospectively registered.
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