Effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmers
ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effects of mental fatigue on the perceptual and physiological responses to swimming at the lactate threshold (LT) and on 400-m front-crawl performance.MethodsTen national-level swimmers were tested three separate times. In the first session, swimmers perf...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1520156/full |
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| author | Dalton de Lima-Junior Giuseppe Caporaso Matteo Cortesi Leonardo de Sousa Fortes Samuele Maria Marcora |
| author_facet | Dalton de Lima-Junior Giuseppe Caporaso Matteo Cortesi Leonardo de Sousa Fortes Samuele Maria Marcora |
| author_sort | Dalton de Lima-Junior |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effects of mental fatigue on the perceptual and physiological responses to swimming at the lactate threshold (LT) and on 400-m front-crawl performance.MethodsTen national-level swimmers were tested three separate times. In the first session, swimmers performed a 7x200-m incremental test for LT assessment. In sessions two and three, participants performed the AX-Continuous Performance Task for 90-min (mental fatigue condition) or rested for 90-min (control condition) in a randomized and counterbalanced order. After the experimental manipulation, the participants performed a 12x100-m constant-speed test at LT followed by a 400-m front-crawl performance test. Fatigue was measured using the Brunel Mood Scale before and after the experimental manipulation. Heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration (La) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during the swimming tests. Generalized Mixed Models were used to test main effects and interactions, and Holm-Bonferroni post-hoc correction was applied when necessary (p < 0.05).ResultsFatigue increased only for the mental fatigue condition (p = 0.018). During the 12 x 100 m constant-speed test at LT, athletes in the mental fatigue condition presented higher RPE (p = 0.001) despite similar HR and La responses compared to control. Performance in the 400-m front-crawl test was significantly impaired in mentally fatigued swimmers (p < 0.001).ConclusionThese findings show that mental fatigue increases the perception of effort during swimming at LT despite no significant physiological alterations and reduces 400-m front-crawl performance in national level swimmers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-210c3fe09644445c818cf92e92c2d937 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-210c3fe09644445c818cf92e92c2d9372025-08-20T02:08:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-04-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15201561520156Effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmersDalton de Lima-Junior0Giuseppe Caporaso1Matteo Cortesi2Leonardo de Sousa Fortes3Samuele Maria Marcora4Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyLiceo Alessandro Volta, Como, ItalyDepartment for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Physical Education, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, BrazilDepartment for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effects of mental fatigue on the perceptual and physiological responses to swimming at the lactate threshold (LT) and on 400-m front-crawl performance.MethodsTen national-level swimmers were tested three separate times. In the first session, swimmers performed a 7x200-m incremental test for LT assessment. In sessions two and three, participants performed the AX-Continuous Performance Task for 90-min (mental fatigue condition) or rested for 90-min (control condition) in a randomized and counterbalanced order. After the experimental manipulation, the participants performed a 12x100-m constant-speed test at LT followed by a 400-m front-crawl performance test. Fatigue was measured using the Brunel Mood Scale before and after the experimental manipulation. Heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration (La) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during the swimming tests. Generalized Mixed Models were used to test main effects and interactions, and Holm-Bonferroni post-hoc correction was applied when necessary (p < 0.05).ResultsFatigue increased only for the mental fatigue condition (p = 0.018). During the 12 x 100 m constant-speed test at LT, athletes in the mental fatigue condition presented higher RPE (p = 0.001) despite similar HR and La responses compared to control. Performance in the 400-m front-crawl test was significantly impaired in mentally fatigued swimmers (p < 0.001).ConclusionThese findings show that mental fatigue increases the perception of effort during swimming at LT despite no significant physiological alterations and reduces 400-m front-crawl performance in national level swimmers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1520156/fullcognitive effortself-regulationrating of perceived exertionswimmingperformance |
| spellingShingle | Dalton de Lima-Junior Giuseppe Caporaso Matteo Cortesi Leonardo de Sousa Fortes Samuele Maria Marcora Effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmers Frontiers in Psychology cognitive effort self-regulation rating of perceived exertion swimming performance |
| title | Effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmers |
| title_full | Effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmers |
| title_fullStr | Effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmers |
| title_short | Effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmers |
| title_sort | effects of mental fatigue on perception of effort and performance in national level swimmers |
| topic | cognitive effort self-regulation rating of perceived exertion swimming performance |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1520156/full |
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