Exploration of the biological basis and training strategies for building athletes’ psychological resilience

Background: Psychological resilience (PR) is crucial for athletes to perform at their best and recover from failures. However, its biological basis and effective training strategies remain under-explored. Many athletes face psychological challenges that affect their overall well-being and performance. Furthermore, resilience training can benefit from a greater awareness of the biomechanical components of athletes’ performance. To help athletes achieve their best, trainers and sports psychologists must understand resilience’s molecular principles and develop effective training strategies that integrate psychological and biomechanical components. Objective: The study aims (1) to explore the resilience profiles of athletes categorized as high resilience group and moderate resilience group, (2) to assess the biomechanical characteristics associated with these resilience profiles through sensor data, and (3) to determine the relationships between resilience, health-related behaviors, well-being, and perceived social support. Methodology: A cross-sectional online survey with 120 participants was conducted to assess health-related behaviors and well-being pre- and post-intervention. Additionally, biomechanical sensors were used to capture athletes’ movement and performance during training sessions. Data was collected using the social support scale and resilience scale. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and correlation analyses were used to analyze the data. Qualitative interviews with athletes provided additional insights into the relationship between resilience profiles and associated characteristics. Result: The findings revealed that athletes in the high resilience group exhibited significantly healthier lifestyle choices, greater overall well-being, and higher perceived social support compared to the moderate resilience group. Correlational analyses showed stronger relationships between resilience scores and associated characteristics in the high resilience group, suggesting that biomechanical efficiency contributes to their resilience. Conclusion: The characteristics and correlates of resilience profiles in athletes can advise tailored interventions to influence PR and biomechanical performance, benefiting their performance and mental health.