Mental training for college athletes A comparative analysis of Chinese and Western approaches and innovations
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This paper examines the development of mental training in sports, emphasizing the differences between China and other countries in terms of training methods and research approaches. The study employs a literature review method to analyse existing domestic research and draw conclusions. Numerous studies have shown that mental training is crucial for enhancing athletes' performance. By investigating the definitions of mental training in various regions and assessing the current state of mental training in Chinese universities, this study highlights these differences. The findings reveal several gaps between China and other countries in this field: 1) China's research on mental training started relatively late, with limitations in both content and depth; 2) deficiencies in research design, including limited scope in subject and sample selection, unclear operational definitions of variables, and insufficient control of extraneous variables; and 3) a lack of empirical research and methodological innovation in mental training. These findings suggest that China needs to expand and enhance research in mental training, with a particular focus on empirical studies and methodological innovation, to bridge the gap with other countries.
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