Exploring esport players’ perspectives on sport psychology support: an interview study

Purpose Acknowledging the prospective role of sport psychology support in esports, current research remains limited, hindering evidence-based practices within esports. This study addresses this gap by exploring players’ awareness, attitudes and expectations toward sport psychology support including their views on sport psychology practitioners (SPPs). In addition, this study aims to understand the players’ perspectives on perceived benefits of sport psychology support. Design/methodology/approach Through criterion-based sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six male professional players (Mage = 23.00; SD = 2.83 years). Thematic reflective analysis was facilitated by the use of MAXQDA Plus 2020 software. Findings The study reveals positive attitudes among esports players toward sport psychology support, despite initial skepticism from one participant. Participants emphasized the importance of addressing esports’ unique challenges and recognized the role of sport psychology in fostering awareness and teamwork, especially in communication. Key elements identified in their engagement with SPPs included trust, empathy and personalized approaches. Participants reported benefits including improved team cohesion, individual performance and well-being, highlighting the perceived positive impact of sport psychology support within esports. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore esports players’ perceptions and experiences of sport psychology support, shedding light on the potential benefits and challenges. By using qualitative methodologies and focusing on the nuanced perspectives of professional players, this research expands our understanding of the role of sport psychology in esports and its implications for player well-being and performance.