Da cabeça aos pés: Avaliação do impacto de um programa de treino de visualização mental em jovens jogadoras de futebol

Abstract

Training in any sport, whether team or individual, has several components that greatly influence the results obtained. These are the physical component, the tactical component, the technical component, and the emotional component, which is often overlooked during training and is rarely used to train technical and tactical behaviors as well as the emotional component. However, when used, its influence on the performance of each athlete is noticeable. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a mental visualization training program on female soccer players, comparing the evolution of their visualization skills and levels of competitive anxiety and fear of failure over three assessment moments (before, during, and after the program). To this end, a Mental Visualization program was developed based on some concepts and fundamentals of the PETTLEP model, attempting to create game scenarios that recreated moments and situations such as defensive and offensive plays, goal situations and danger to the goal itself, and even situations of emotional management and control. The program had three evaluation moments: one at the beginning, during the week of January 12 to 18, a second moment during the week of March 16 to 22, and a final moment during the week of June 15 to 21, before the end of the season and the tournament phase. Throughout these stages, the scenarios were applied in group sessions in the club's meeting room, beginning with breathing cycles or, later, muscle relaxation, followed by visualization of the scenario given for that week. The athletes were also asked to perform the scenario at home on the night before the game day. To assess the frequency and clarity of the images, anxiety, and fear of failure, the following questionnaires were applied: Mental Imagery in Sport Questionnaire (QVMD), Mental Imagery in Sport Scale (EVMD), Sport Anxiety Scale - 2 (SAS), and Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI), respectively. The results showed, overall, a significant increase in the frequency of mental visualization use, but a decrease in sharpness in some subscales of the EVMD (in training) and the QVMD (cognitive-specific, cognitive-general, and motivational-general mastery scales). With regard to anxiety and fear of failure, significant differences were only found in the fear of disturbing others subscale of fear of failure, with an increase in levels. Therefore, considering the results obtained, we believe that it is necessary to start this work as early as possible in the season and even at a younger age, adapting the content of the scenarios to the athletes' development and each individual's visualization ability. In addition, more guided sessions are suggested so that athletes can train the scenarios provided many times. This study also demonstrates the need to integrate a psychologist into the team or the need for more intensive monitoring of the players.