Cognitive Functions and Psycho-Emotional States in Athletes: Review of Assessment Methods

Abstract

The article provides an overview of subjective and objective methods for diagnosing the psycho-emotional state and cognitive functions in athletes. The research objective was to substantiate the efficiency of combined psychological and psycho-physiological methods for diagnosing psycho-emotional states and cognitive functions in athletes. The review involved domestic and foreign studies of the functional state of athletes that featured subjective, objective, conventional, and novel methods. An optimal training program requires basic diagnostics of cognitive functions, i.e., attention span and memory capacity, as well as the psycho-emotional state. In this respect, simultaneous profiling of psycho-emotional state and cognitive functions as interrelated phenomena proves the most efficient approach. The list of instrumental methods of cognitive studies includes skin conductance response, electromyography, and heart rate variability. Electroencephalography as a means of assessing the bioelectric potential of the brain is one of the most accessible and informative objective methods of cognitive function assessment. Electroencephalographic indicators make it possible to determine cognitive functions in athletes and identify possible disorders. Electroencephalographic alpha activity under various physical loads can serve as markers of functional state and self-regulation indicators in athletes.

Keywords

• cognitive functions
• psycho-emotional state
• self-regulation
• sports activity
• test and instrumental research methods