Examining the relationship between gamification profiles (HEXAD) and mental fatigue in football players: a theoretical and contextual analysis

BACKGROUND: Human behavior in performance settings reflects the interplay of cognitive and psychological processes. This study examined the associations between gamification user types and mental fatigue scores in male football (soccer) players and investigated the interactive effects of playing position, competition level, and serious injury experience. METHOD: A total of 331 male football players actively competing in different cities across Turkey participated in this cross-sectional, correlational study. Data were collected via the Mental Fatigue Awareness Scale in Athletes (MFASA) and the Modified Gamification User Types Scale (MGUTS). Analyses included Pearson correlation and two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: The MGUTS total score was negatively associated with mental fatigue (r = - .17, p < .01). Mental fatigue scores differed significantly as a function of the playing position × serious injury experience interaction (F(3, 323) = 12.38, p < .001, η² = 0.103) and the playing position × competition level interaction (F(3, 323) = 20.69, p < .001, η² = 0.161). The interaction effects were most pronounced particularly in the goalkeeper and defender positions. CONCLUSION: Mental fatigue in football players operates as a multidimensional construct shaped not only by physical loading but by the joint influence of motivational profiles, position-specific cognitive demands, and experience-level factors. The findings highlight the importance of differentiating mental fatigue assessment and intervention approaches on the basis of positional role and competition level.