Mental Training Skills and Recovery Knowledge in Esports Athletes and Traditional Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Comparison

The aim of this study was to compare mental training skills and recovery knowledge levels between traditional athletes and esports athletes according to professionalism level, and to examine how these variables differ in the context of sport age, branch, and injury history. The research was conducted using a cross-sectional and comparative quantitative research design. A total of 312 professional and amateur athletes voluntarily participated in the study, including traditional athletes actively engaged in different sports branches and esports athletes competing at a competitive level. Data were collected using a demographic information form, the Sport Mental Training Inventory, and the Recovery Knowledge Level Inventory. In addition to descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, Welch ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis were applied for data analysis. The findings indicated that professional athletes had significantly higher scores than amateur athletes in the subdimensions of mental basic skills, mental performance skills, and mental imagery. Furthermore, professional athletes demonstrated significantly higher levels of recovery knowledge. It was also determined that mental training skills and recovery knowledge levels increased with greater sport age, and positive relationships were identified between mental training subdimensions and recovery knowledge level. The results suggest that mental training and recovery processes represent educational gains that can be improved through experience and systematic training. Accordingly, it is recommended that structured educational content focusing on mental training and recovery strategies should be incorporated into athlete and coach education programs.