Integrating technology in psychological skills training for performance optimization in elite athletes: A systematic review

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to systematically review the literature on the integration of technology in psychological skills training (PST) to optimize elite athletes' performance. Design: Systematic review. Method: Published English, Italian, and Russian language articles were identified using electronic databases. Eighteen articles (out of 3753 records) fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and their quality was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Six papers were judged to be excellent and four to be high quality. There were significant methodological inconsistencies across eight studies. An overall score of quality assessment ranged from 20% to 100%. Results: The included studies implemented various technologies, in combination with PST, to identify, monitor and/or have an intervention aimed at optimizing elite athletes' performance. The results suggested that the integration covered different meanings, i.e., functional integration, integration between technologies and measures, integration between technology, theoretical framework, and psychological skills training. There was no distinct consistency between the studies with regards to the theory or model used. Conclusions: Technology and mental training should not be viewed as interchangeable facets of performance enhancement, but rather as complementary ones - where technology integrated in psychological skills training can lead to identify and monitor optimal performance and to implement more effective interventions.