A systematic review and meta-analysis study on the factors affecting sports psychology, athletic performance and physical activity

INTRODUCTION: Sports excellence is not only about physical abilities, but also about psychological robustness, cognitive skills, and behaviors. Understanding these aspects is vital in optimizing performance levels, injury prevention, increasing motivation to sports, and long-term physical activity. This study aimed to provide a meta-analysis study on the factors influencing sports psychology, athletic performance, and physical activity. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Database searches were carried out and extracted 9 studies and data analysis along with statistical assessment were conducted using Cochrane RevMan. Statistical analyses included effect size calculations, heterogeneity assessment, and sensitivity analyses. Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and QUADAS-2. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: This study has shown that psychological factors such as motivation, self-efficacy and goal-setting do matter for performance in sports. The importance of social support and appropriate coaching cannot be understated with favorable return to play results. There is no large effect of mindfulness on sports psychology, although the trend favors worse mental health outcome in. There is, however, a small indication that athletic performance and stress may be linked to better performance. A holistic athlete well-being plan is needed to prevent injuries and improve nutrition and sleep quality. Additional, larger well-conducted studies are needed to investigate these relationships and determine potential targets for intervention. CONCLUSIONS: These finding highlight the importance of combining psychological and physical training for athletes. The identified interventions should be further unfolded to develop and implement targeted programs to address specific challenges faced by athletes, promoting lifelong engagement in physical activity.