Effects of Nature Exposure Intervention on Soccer Performance Among Mentally Fatigued University Players

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04693481
• Recruitment Status: Completed
• First Posted: January 5, 2021
• Last Update Posted: June 30, 2021
• Sponsor: Universiti Putra Malaysia
• Information provided by (Responsible Party): Sun He, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Study Description

Brief Summary:

The current study is going to investigate the nature exposure intervention on the ability of self-regulation and decision-making skills among mentally fatigued soccer players. The subjects will be instructed to view some nature photos, which can facilitate the recovering process for directed attention and the ability of self-regulation. Thus, to see the improvement in decision-making skills.

Condition or disease	Intervention/treatment	Phase
Mental Fatigue	Other: nature exposure	Not Applicable

Detailed Description:

The intervention of this study is nature exposure, specifically, instruct subjects to view and immerse in some nature photos due to the humanity of biophilia.

The condition of mental fatigue will be induced by the Stroop task.

Before the intervention or process of viewing photos, the baseline will be recorded to compare the post-test value of self-regulation and the score of decision-making skills.

Moreover, the different durations of viewing photos will be implemented to identify the optimal selection.

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional (Clinical Trial)
• Actual Enrollment: 60 participants
• Allocation: Randomized
• Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
• Intervention Model Description: Randomly assign subjects into the experimental groups and the control group
• Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Official Title: Effects of Nature Exposure Intervention on Self-Regulation and Decision-making in Mentally Fatigued University Soccer Players
• Actual Study Start Date: March 10, 2021
• Actual Primary Completion Date: June 5, 2021
• Actual Study Completion Date: June 20, 2021

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/treatment
Experimental: experimental group: 5 seconds for each photo; receive the intervention, which is viewing each nature photo for 5 seconds	Other: nature exposure; Nature exposure has different ways, such as walk in the real nature environment; viewing nature photos. Two main reasons make this study will not use the real nature environment: (1) the limitation of time before or amid the soccer competition; (2) the pandemic situation does not allow people go outside as frequently as before. Therefore, the current study will select some nature photos, which are restorative environments and can restore directed attention to counteract mental fatigue.
Experimental: experimental group: 15 seconds for each photo; receive the intervention, which is viewing each nature photo for 15 seconds	Other: nature exposure; Nature exposure has different ways, such as walk in the real nature environment; viewing nature photos. Two main reasons make this study will not use the real nature environment: (1) the limitation of time before or amid the soccer competition; (2) the pandemic situation does not allow people go outside as frequently as before. Therefore, the current study will select some nature photos, which are restorative environments and can restore directed attention to counteract mental fatigue.
Experimental: experimental group: 30 seconds for each photo; receive the intervention, which is viewing each nature photo for 30 seconds	Other: nature exposure; Nature exposure has different ways, such as walk in the real nature environment; viewing nature photos. Two main reasons make this study will not use the real nature environment: (1) the limitation of time before or amid the soccer competition; (2) the pandemic situation does not allow people go outside as frequently as before. Therefore, the current study will select some nature photos, which are restorative environments and can restore directed attention to counteract mental fatigue.
No Intervention: control group; not receive the intervention, which is viewing each nature photo for 0 seconds.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures :

1. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) will be the indicator of physiological self-regulation and measured by Polar H10 HRV belt [ Time Frame: 2 weeks ]
   Before and after the intervention, the HRV will be measured to see the differences.
2. State anxiety will be the indicator of psychological self-regulation and measured by Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 [ Time Frame: 2 weeks ]
   Before and after the intervention, the state anxiety will be measured to see the differences. The arrange of scores of Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 is 9-36. The higher scores mean higher cognitive and physical anxiety, as well as state confidence.
3. The soccer decision-making skills will be measured by TacticUP soccer performance online system [ Time Frame: 2 weeks ]
   Before and after the intervention, the decision-making skills will be measured to see the differences. The arrange of score in TacticUp is 0-100. The higher score, the better decision-making skill.

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years to 24 Years (Adult)
• Sexes Eligible for Study: Male
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• The selection of the participants will be every position without the goalkeeper. The age of them will be at 18-24 years. Only male players will be selected. Players should have at least played from the senior school and have 3 years' training experience.

Exclusion Criteria:

• The study will exclude color blindness, for the Stroop task will involve color. Self-reports should be free of any known disease or sleep disorder and not currently taking any medication.

Contacts and Locations

Locations

China, Henan

Sun He

Zhengzhou, Henan, China, 450000

Sponsors and Collaborators

Universiti Putra Malaysia

More Information

• Responsible Party: Sun He, Principal investigator, Universiti Putra Malaysia
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04693481
• Other Study ID Numbers: JKEUPM-2020-327
• First Posted: January 5, 2021
• Last Update Posted: June 30, 2021
• Last Verified: June 2021

Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:

• Plan to Share IPD: Undecided

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: No

Keywords provided by Sun He, Universiti Putra Malaysia:

decision-making skills; self-regulation; mental fatigue; soccer performance

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Fatigue; Mental Fatigue; Behavioral Symptoms