Research summary · Mental health
Psychological interventions and competitive anxiety
This network meta-analysis compares psychological interventions intended to reduce competitive anxiety in athletes.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized trials
- Journal
- Frontiers in Psychology
- Population / context
- Competitive athletes · Multiple sports
What the publication reports
Twenty-four randomized trials were included, and the pooled intervention effect favoured psychological support over controls. Cognitive-behavioural and related approaches ranked highly in parts of the network.
Limits and interpretation
The overall effect was heterogeneous and several rankings depended on sparse, indirect or passive-control comparisons. Results do not guarantee benefit for an individual or replace clinical assessment when symptoms are severe.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
Comparative efficacy of psychological interventions for competitive anxiety in athletes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42656332DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1842687Full text at the sourceReader discussion
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