Sports Participation and Psychological Resilience in Players: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This systematic review examines the relationship between sports participation and psychological resilience among athletes, synthesizing findings from 52 studies to identify key factors that contribute to resilience. The review highlights the critical roles of individual-level factors such as mastery, mental toughness, optimism, and emotional regulation, as well as sport-specific factors including the type of sport, level of competition, and exposure to training and competition stressors. Social and environmental influences, such as social support and coach-athlete relationships, further shape resilience development. Grounded in resilience theory, ecological systems theory, and positive psychology, the findings underscore the dynamic interplay between personal attributes and contextual factors in fostering resilience. While the review provides robust insights, limitations such as the focus on elite athletes and Western contexts suggest the need for future research on diverse populations and longitudinal studies. This review offers valuable implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, emphasizing the potential of sports participation as a tool for enhancing psychological resilience and promoting mental well-being.