Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 20, 2025

Effects of a Novel Neuromuscular Training Intervention on Jump, Sprint, and Change of Direction in Adult Female Soccer Players
Published on: June 10, 2025
Revisiting the Self-Confidence and Sport Performance Relationship: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Marc Lochbaum1,2, Mackenzie Sherburn2, Cassandra Sisneros3
1Education Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania.
Abstract:
Self-confidence is a common research topic, and most applied textbooks include interventions designed to enhance athlete confidence. Our purpose was to quantify the self-confidence and sport performance literature using meta-analytic techniques. We also examined potential risk of bias indicators, and the moderation effects of study quality, sport characteristics, timing of confidence measurement, and individual differences among participants. Following a review of two past meta-analyses, a systematic search of APA PsycArticles, ERIC, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PsychINFO, and SPORTDiscus within the EBSCOhost platform, and some hand searching, 41 articles published between 1986 and 2020 met the inclusion criteria. Collectively, the included studies investigated 3711 athletes from 15 countries across 24 sports. The overall random effects estimate of the relationship (expressed as r) between self-confidence and performance was 0.25 (95% CI 0.19, 0.30), with little evidence of publication bias. The summed total risk of the individual study bias score did not moderate the confidence-performance relationship, whereas significant moderator effects emerged for individual sports (0.29) compared with team sports (0.14), objective (0.29) compared to subjective (0.14) performance measures, and 100% male (0.35) compared to 100% female (0.07) samples. In conclusion, the confidence-performance relationship is small in magnitude, nearly free of bias, and moderated by sport type, performance objectivity, and athlete sex.
Related Concept Videos
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Self-Esteem
Self-Efficacy
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model

