Determinants of Achievement in Top Sport -Volume II

This Research Topic is the Volume II, , following up on the success of our previous volume here.

Success in competitive sports depends primarily on athletes' skills, personality, and motivation. Many studies have investigated the determinants of success. The presence of the "zeitgeist" social cognitive perspective in psychology has shifted the focus to motivation in top sports. Social cognitive approaches have become the primary framework for researching almost everything in psychology.

Despite extensive discussion and research on the relationship between motivation and personality characteristics, there is still a lack of evidence connecting psychological preparation, pre-competitive states, and psychological techniques to sports success and efficiency. There is still a gap in determining which psychological approaches and mental techniques contribute to success in top sports. Different regression models are expected to explore the determinants of success by comparing males and females, as well as young athletes versus top athletes.

The final formula for success is still undefined regarding the importance of pre-competitive states, psychological preparation, technical skills, and knowledge. Techniques of psychological preparation such as hypnosis, visualization, or cognitive stress coping techniques are not clearly defined and discussed. Therefore, addressing this gap is crucial.

The following goals should be discussed:

• Psychological factors contributing to success in top sports;
• motivational variables contributing to success in top sports;
• personality structures contributing to top achievements;
• stress and coping strategies in top sports;
• the use of psychological preparation and its relation to top achievement in sports;
• evidence-based research on specific psychological preparation techniques and their effectiveness in helping athletes achieve top performances;
• pre-competition states and their relation to success in top sports;
• differences in psychological characteristics contributing to top achievements between males and females, and between youth athletes and top athletes;
• important factors in the development of motivation for success in athletes;
• ethics and strategies to emphasize fair play in top sports;
• the era of COVID-19 and its relationship to success in top sports, including correlation with specific psychological factors;

Researchers are invited to submit original research to contribute to this topic. We also welcome brief research reports, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, reviews, and theoretical articles.

By understanding the factors contributing to success in top athletes, we can develop strategies to improve their results and effectiveness.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Registered Report
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: elite athletes, Determinants of motivation, Top sport, Development of motivation, Models of motivation for top sport

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.