Applying a synergistic mindsets intervention to an esports context.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sports Science
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Affective responses significantly influence performance in high-stakes situations.
• Affect regulation, the management of emotional states, is crucial for optimizing outcomes.
• Esports represent a high-stakes environment where stress can impact player performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and test a synergistic mindsets intervention (SMI) in a professional esports context.
• To investigate whether SMI can promote challenge versus threat stress responses.
• To determine if SMI improves performance outcomes in competitive esports players.

Main Methods:

• 300 gamers were randomly assigned to either SMI or a control group (brain facts).
• Participants engaged in daily gaming for two weeks, followed by a cash-prize tournament.
• Affective experiences and cardiovascular responses were measured before and during matches.

Main Results:

• Gamers did not report significant negative affect, limiting the intervention's potential impact.
• The SMI group did not exhibit greater challenge responses compared to the control group.
• No significant improvements in performance outcomes were observed for the SMI group.

Conclusions:

• The adapted SMI did not optimize performance in the tested esports context.
• The lack of perceived stress in gamers may have limited the intervention's effectiveness.
• Findings highlight the importance of considering context-specific stress levels when applying affect regulation interventions.