Author(s): Aslam N Khan

Abstract:
This study investigates the effects of a comprehensive Psychological Recovery Strategies Training (PRST) program-comprising mindfulness, relaxation exercises, cognitive reframing, sleep hygiene education, and peer support-on enhancing mental resilience and optimizing performance in elite field hockey athletes who are routinely exposed to high psychological stressors. Employing a randomized controlled trial design, sixty collegiate field hockey players were divided into an experimental group undergoing an eight-week PRST intervention and an active control group receiving standard recovery education; pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted using validated measures such as the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD RISC), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Maximal Anaerobic Running Test (MART) (Baltzell & Akhtar, 2014; Zhang et al., 2019; Nicholls et al., 2016). Significant pre- to post-intervention improvements in resilience, stress reduction, and anaerobic capacity were observed exclusively in the PRST group, highlighting the potential for psychological recovery protocols to mitigate burnout and overtraining while enhancing overall athletic performance (Mah et al., 2018; Rees & Hardy, 2000). These findings underscore the need for integrating interdisciplinary approaches that blend sport psychology, coaching, and performance analytics in athletic training, further advocating for future longitudinal, multi-site research to explore dose-response relationships, positional impacts, and cost-effectiveness in diverse sporting contexts.

Pages: 398-400  |  44 Views  37 Downloads

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