Mapping 50 years of sport psychology-performance meta-analyses: a PRISMA-ScR scoping review

Sport psychology has generated an expansive body of literature on how psychological factors influence athletic performance, yet no review has systematically mapped this body of research. Guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework, this study charted published meta-analyses that investigated links between psychological constructs and sport performance. After conducting comprehensive searches, we identified 137 relevant papers, of which 73 met our inclusion criteria for athlete samples and performance outcomes. The included meta-analyses, published between 1988 and 2025, represented authors from at least 30 countries and covered more than 40 different constructs. Mental practice, confidence, achievement goals, anxiety, cohesion, mindfulness, and neurofeedback were the most frequently studied topics. Publication activity has accelerated rapidly since 2020, reflecting the maturation and diversification of evidence synthesis in sport psychology. Rather than aggregating effect sizes, this review maps methodological trends, recurring themes, and areas of limited coverage. The resulting catalog highlights where the evidence base is strongest, identifies emerging opportunities, and provides a foundation for future quantitative reviews to progress consensus development.

Citation

Lochbaum, M.; Lane, A.M. Mapping 50 Years of Sport Psychology–Performance Meta-Analyses: A PRISMA-ScR Scoping Review. Sports 2025, 13, 420. https://doi.org/10.3390/ sports13120420

PubMed ID

41441404 (pubmed)

Additional Links

https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13120420

Type

Journal article

Language

en

Description

© 2025 The Authors, published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13120420

ISSN

2075-4663

EISSN

2075-4663

Collections

Sport and Physical Activity Research Centre