Browsing by Author "Travassos, Bruno"
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- Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Reduces Competitive Anxiety and Modulates Heart Rate Variability in an eSports PlayerPublication . Machado, Sergio; Sant’Ana, Leandro de Oliveira; Travassos, Bruno; Monteiro, DiogoPrevious research has recently shown that high cognitive and somatic anxiety and low self-confidence, before and during sport competitions have a significant correlation with heart rate variability (HRV) changes and can reduce overall athletic performance. Therefore, interventions, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), can be a potential tool to reduce psychophysiological anxiety-related and enhance athletic performance. We present a case of a male professional athlete of eSports. We explored the effects of a single session of anodal tDCS (a-tDCS) at 2mA over the dosrsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on competitive anxiety and HRV assessed in baseline (BL), pre-tDCS, post-tDCS and postgame moments and compared between moments. Here, we found a decrease in somatic and cognitive anxiety, as well as an increase in self-confidence and in SDNN index in the post-tDCS moment compared with BL, pre-tDCS and post-game moments. These findings can be a result of an acute change in the attentional state, influencing the processing of threatening information essential for cognitive anxiety and of a self-regulatory process, which can regulate physiological arousal response, such as HRV.
- A avaliação do hábito em praticantes de exercício físico: testando a validade do self-report behavioral automaticity indexPublication . Rodrigues, Filipe; Cid, Luis; Forte, Pedro; Teixeira, Diogo Santos; Travassos, Bruno; Monteiro, DiogoOs comportamentos habituais são repetidos inconscientemente, sem intenção. A medição precisa do hábito é crucial para ajudar os investigadores a desenvolver e aplicar um modelo teórico sobre o hábito, com uma medida empiricamente válida. Desta forma, o objetivo do presente estudo foi testar a validade e a fiabilidade do Self-Report Behavior Automaticity Index numa amostra Portuguesa praticante de exercício físico. Foram recolhidos dados de duas amostras independentes, com um total de 590 adultos (mulheres= 311; homens= 279). Realizou-se uma análise fatorial confirmatória do modelo de medida de quatro itens do Self-Report Behavior Automaticity Index e uma análise de invariância entre duas amostras independentes. Adicionalmente, foi testado um modelo de mediação de forma a analisar o papel mediador da frequência semanal de exercício físico entre a experiência passada e o hábito. O modelo de medida do Self-Report Behavior Automaticity Index demonstrou um ajustamento aceitável em cada uma das amostras e os coeficientes de fiabilidade compósita foram adequados. O modelo de medida revelou ser invariante entre amostras, acrescentando, por isso um maior suporte à sua validade para avaliar o comportamento habitual. A frequência do exercício medeia a relação entre a experiência e o desenvolvimento do hábito, acrescentando evidências à teoria do hábito
- Career Planning in Elite Soccer: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy, Career Goals, and Athletic IdentityPublication . Monteiro, Ricardo; Monteiro, Diogo; Torregrossa, Miquel; Travassos, BrunoThis study proposed a model to examine the role of self-efficacy, career goals, and athletic identity (AI) on the career planning of elite soccer players. Two hundred and eighty-one elite soccer players (males) participated in this study. Means, SD, and bivariate correlations were calculated for the variables under analysis. The hypothesized effect of self-efficacy, career goals, and AI on career planning was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results supported the adequacy of the proposed model in explaining the career planning. Career planning is positively influenced by the level of self-efficacy of players through the definition of career goals and is negatively influenced by the level of AI. At the same time, the self-efficacy of players through the definition of career goals positively influenced AI. These findings reinforce the important role of self-efficacy and career goals for the development of AI and career planning and at the same time the opposite relationship between AI and career planning. Thus, it is suggested that a balance on AI, maintaining high levels of self-efficacy and career goals, is required to improve the process of career planning and retirement
- Could tDCS Be a Potential Performance-Enhancing Tool for Acute Neurocognitive Modulation in eSports? A Perspective ReviewPublication . Machado, Sergio; Travassos, Bruno; Teixeira, Diogo S.; Rodrigues, Filipe; Cid, Luis; Monteiro, DiogoCompetitive sports involve physical and cognitive skills. In traditional sports, there is a greater dependence on the development and performance of both motor and cognitive skills, unlike electronic sports (eSports), which depend much more on neurocognitive skills for success. However, little is known about neurocognitive functions and effective strategies designed to develop and optimize neurocognitive performance in eSports athletes. One such strategy is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), characterized as a weak electric current applied on the scalp to induce prolonged changes in cortical excitability. Therefore, our objective is to propose anodal (a)-tDCS as a performance-enhancing tool for neurocognitive functions in eSports. In this manuscript, we discussed the neurocognitive processes that underlie exceptionally skilled performances in eSports and how tDCS could be used for acute modulation of these processes in eSports. Based on the results from tDCS studies in healthy people, professional athletes, and video game players, it seems that tDCS is applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as a potential performance-enhancing tool for neurocognition in eSports.
- Effects of a Playoff Match on Competitive Anxiety and Autonomic Regulation in Professional Esports PlayersPublication . Machado, Sérgio; Sant’Ana, Leandro de Oliveira; Cid, Luis; Teixeira, Diogo S.; Travassos, Bruno; Monteiro, Diogo; Nardi, Antonio EgidioBackground A competition is considered a stressful situation since it causes physiological and emotional changes in the responses of athletes and consequently influences their performance. Objective The aim of our study was to investigate competitive anxiety and heart rate variability (HRV) in professional eSports athletes, comparing the responses before and after matches based on whether they won or lost. We hypothesized that victorious players would display more favorable autonomic and anxiety-related responses after the matches compared to those who were defeated. Methods We recruited fifty male esports players from 10 different Brazilian teams and carried out the experiment across two sessions. Initially, 24 hours before the game, players signed the informed consent form, and sample characterization, along with player familiarization with anxiety and HRV, was performed. Following this, the players recorded their anxiety levels and HRV at rest for 10 minutes, both 60 and 30 minutes prior to the game (baseline time points), as well as 10 minutes after the conclusion of the game. Results Regarding anxiety, our results demonstrated that the victory group (VG) exhibited significantly lower scores for both cognitive and somatic anxiety in the post-game time point, coupled with increased scores for self-confidence when compared to the baseline (BL) and pre-game time points. In opposition, the defeated group (DG) displayed significantly elevated scores for cognitive and somatic anxiety during the post-game time point, accompanied by decreased self-confidence scores compared to the baseline and pre-game time points. Regarding heart rate variability (HRV), the victory group (VG) demonstrated a significant increase in SDNN, rMSSD, and HF measures, coupled with a significant decrease in the LF/HF ratio. Conversely, the defeated group (DG) exhibited a significant decrease in SDNN and rMSSD, along with a significant increase in the LF/HF ratio. Conclusion In summary, the VG exhibited superior HRV responses in conjunction with lower levels of anxiety compared to the DG.
- Effects of an imagery programme on the performance of federated and non-federated Boccia athletesPublication . Amorim, André; Travassos, Bruno; Monteiro, Diogo; Baptista, Liliana; Duarte-Mendes, PedroThe aim of this study was to analyse the effects and the relations through the implementation of an imagery (IM) training programme for federated and non-federated Boccia participants. Twenty-one Boccia athletes participated in this study. At the beginning of the study, and after a period of an 8-week IM training, the athletes’ IM ability (MIQ – 3) and their performance in Boccia tasks (distance to target and distance to coloured ball) were assessed. Data analysis was carried out using non-clinical magnitude-based inferences. The results suggests that, from pre to post test, federated and non-federated athletes had a higher IM score and exhibited an improved performance. The performance levels seem to have been influenced by the participants’ level of expertise, with the non-federated athletes revealing higher magnitude of improvement than federated athlete’s. A non-significant correlation was observed between IM and performance. Although the inconsistency of the relationship between IM and performance, the results suggests that IM training enhances the development of IM ability and also motor actions in Boccia athletes.
- How Football Players’ Age Affect Passing Patterns of Play According to Field LocationPublication . Coito, Nuno; Folgado, Hugo; Monteiro, D.; Travassos, BrunoThis study aimed to characterize the passing patterns that support collective tactical behaviour in football players of different ages (U15, U17, and U19) in different field zones. Two hundred and twenty-eight male players, divided into U15, U17, and U19, participated in the study. Cluster analysis was used to group the passes into three sizes (short, medium, and long). The chi-square test was used to analyse the effect of player age on game-passing patterns in each field zone. The results revealed that long and medium passes were used more in areas close to the goals and short passes in the middle area of the field, concerning all ages (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the analysis of the relative distance between the ball carrier and the receiver indicated that older players (U17 and U19) used more distant players to pass the ball in medium and long passes. These results can help coaches design small-sided games according to the players’ ages and adjust to the field’s space and the numerical relationship, thus creating a greater transfer from training to competition.
- How weekly monitoring variables influence players’ and teams’ match performance in elite futsal playersPublication . Ribeiro, João Nuno; Monteiro, Diogo; Sampaio, Jaime; Couceiro, Micael; Travassos, BrunoThis study aimed to investigate how weekly training load constrains the performance of players and teams in official futsal competitions. Data from a professional male team were collected during two seasons (46 weeks). The applied monitoring system analysed the training load (as measured by session perceived exertion, sRPE), the total recovery status (TQR), the well-being score (WBs) and the variability of neuromuscular performance during each week (CMJ-cv). In addition, the performance was assessed for all the matches. A path analysis model was performed to test the associations across variables. Results from the path analysis model revealed that it explains 31% of the teams’ performance. In general, the results show that previous team performance has no significant effects on the training week. A significant negative relationship was found between CMJ-cv and match performance (β = -.34; CI95% -.359 to -.070), as well as a significant negative relationship between players’ match performance and the team’s match performance (β = -.55; CI95% -.292 to .740). Regarding indirect effects, only a negative association between CMJ-cv and team match performance via players’ match performance (β = -.19; CI95% -.342 to -.049) was identified. The small variation of the weekly CMJ (CMJ-cv) seems to be a key variable to monitor and explain both player and team performance. Based on this model, and only looking at the physical variables, it was possible to explain 31% of the team’s performance. Longitudinal and multi-team studies should be conducted to integrate other technical, tactical and psychological variables that allow the level of understanding of players’ and teams’ performance to be improved.
- Impact of victory and defeat on the perceived stress and autonomic regulation of professional eSports athletesPublication . Machado, Sergio; de Oliveira Sant'Ana, Leandro; Cid, Luis; Teixeira, Diogo; Rodrigues, Filipe; Travassos, Bruno; Monteiro, DiogoCompetitive sports involve physiological, technical and psychological skills, which influence directly on individuals’ performance. This study aims to investigate the levels of perceived stress and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) before and after matches with victory and defeat in professional eSports athletes. Our hypothesis was that the winners would have better autonomic and stress responses after match, thus corroborating the literature on neurocardiac connections. Fifty male eSport players were selected players from 10 different Brazilian teams. The experiment was carried out in 2 sessions. Firstly, after signing the informed consent form, 24 h before the game, anthropometric, physical activity levels and time of expertise data were recorded only for sample characterization and the players were familiarized with the perceived stress scale—10 (PSS-10) and the HRV measurements. Secondly, players performed the PSS-10 and HRV recording at rest by 10 min 60 and 30 min before the game (i.e., baseline time) and 10 min after the end of the game. Overall, concerning PSS-10 our findings show that VG had significant reduced scores in post-game time compared to baseline (BL) and pre-game times, while DG had significant increased scores in post-game time compared to BL and pre-game times. Regarding HRV, our results demonstrate that VG had significant increase in RR, SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50 and HF, and significant decrease in LF and LF/HF, while DG had a significant decrease in RR, SDNN, rMSSD and HF, and significant increase in LF and LF/HF. It was observed that VG had better HRV responses (greater parasympathetic activation) as well as lower levels of perceived stress, while DG had worst HRV responses (greater sympathetic activation) and higher levels of perceived stress.
- The Last Whistle: Unveiling the Relationship between the Career Path and Retirement Age in Professional SoccerPublication . Rebelo, André; Teixeira, Diogo S.; Monteiro, Diogo; Monteiro, Diogo; Travassos, BrunoThis study explores the relationship between Career Indicators (CIs) and the retiring age of Portuguese soccer players, focusing on the impact of early career experiences and career discontinuation stages. Data were analyzed from retired Portuguese soccer players registered on a private digital platform, using specific CIs related to different stages of their athletic careers. The analysis involved a two-level mediation model incorporating various CIs. Significant direct effects emerged with ‘the number of seasons as a youth player’ and ‘the number of seasons as a youth player in top 3 clubs’ on ‘retiring age’. Additionally, a strong association was identified between ‘discontinuation stage length’ and ‘retiring age’. The findings emphasize the importance of effectively managing career discontinuation stages and proactive career planning. Consequently, comprehensive support programs offering resources and guidance for career transitions are recommended for soccer players. The study underlines the key role of stakeholders in enabling smoother transitions into retirement.