The Effects of Stress Mindset, Manipulated Through Serious Game Intervention, on Performance and Situation Awareness of Elite Female Football Players in the Context of a Match: An Experimental Study

Background: Performance levels in football are ever more important and no longer are just physical, technical, and tactical skills, the ones that make an athlete stand out. Cognitive variables, such as stress-coping, become more important and seem to be explaining differences in performance, for example, through reaching an optimal level of arousal. In addition, it is suggested that stress-coping skills also affect situation awareness (SA), important for decision-making in the complex and dynamic situations in football. Objective: This study was conducted to examine how stress-coping skills, such as stress mindset, affect performance and SA in the context of a football match. Methods: Twenty elite female football players participated in the study. The final sample size consisted of 15 players for the Stress Mindset Measure (SMM) analysis and 8 players for the multilevel model analyses. Two types of intervention were used to manipulate stress mindset and control over heart rate variability (HRV); a serious game called "Stressjam," and a reflection tool called "Brainjam." Questionnaires for stress mindset and SA and video analysis for performance were used. A total of three matches were assessed. Results: The "Stressjam" intervention resulted in significant differences in stress mindset throughout the intervention [F(1,5) = 7.357, P = 0.008]. Subsequently, multilevel analysis showed a positive, strong, and significant correlation between stress mindset, manipulated through "Stressjam" and SA [r(14) = 0.69, P = 0.014]. A correlation of practical interest, given the confidence intervals, was found between stress mindset, manipulated through "Stressjam," and performance. Conclusion: Cognitive variables, such as stress-coping, correlate significantly with SA in football. A correlation of practical interest was found between stress-coping and performance. Further research is needed to study the relationship between stress-coping and performance in football.

Effectiveness of a serious game on the self-concept of children with visual impairments: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Young children with visual impairments (VIs) are at high risk for mental disorders, due to victimization and subsequent social withdrawal. Children with VIs have been shown to have a poorer self-concept and lower general psychosocial well-being compared with peers without VIs.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a serious game to improve psychosocial outcomes in children with VIs.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the computer game See for children with VIs. The game was developed based on rational-emotive behavioral therapy principles, with the aim of addressing self-concept (academic, social, and general), psychosocial well-being (social inclusion, exclusion, and emotions), and coping strategies (approach, avoidance). Sixty-four children aged 6-8 years were randomized to the intervention group, who played the game, or a control group, who received care-as-usual (CAU).

RESULTS

Our results showed that children with VIs who played the serious game scored significantly higher on academic self-concept and social inclusion compared with the control group. Furthermore, children rated the game positively, suggesting the desirability, validity, and feasibility of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide preliminary evidence that a serious game can enhance psychosocial outcomes in children with VIs. This approach might also promote positive educational outcomes, such as academic achievement, and reduce the stigma of therapy for children with VIs. Implications and future directions are discussed.