Psychological Skills Training Applied to Soccer: A Systematic Review Based on Research Methodologies

The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic review of studies on psychological skills training (PST) applied to soccer from 1980 until the end of 2012. A total of 28 studies were evaluated and reported in five sections: year overview and journals, research designs, data collection, sample characteristics and PST focus category. PST articles applied to soccer were spread throughout a wide range of journals and had a considerable growth during the 2008-12 period. Results also indicated that most of the research on PST applied to soccer was experimental, longitudinal and combined quantitative and qualitative data. Furthermore, the majority of studies focused on non-elite players with a age under 16 and were conducted in North American countries.Critical and innovative reflections were made in order to highlight potential research gaps and to suggest new perspectives for further investigation.