Effects of Biofeedback and Mindfulness on the Self-confidence, mental toughness and Performance in Adolescent Table Tennis Players

This study aimed to examine the effects of mindfulness, biofeedback, and their combination on self-confidence, mental toughness, and performance in adolescent table tennis players. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, 40 semi-professional female table tennis players aged 14 to 18 were selected through available sampling and randomly assigned to four groups (mindfulness, biofeedback, combined, and control). The experimental groups underwent six weeks of training, with sessions lasting between 20 to 45 minutes, while the control group continued their regular activities. Motor performance was assessed using the flip-hit accuracy test, and self-confidence and mental toughness were measured through the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ) and the Sources of Sport Confidence Questionnaire (SSCQ). A mixed ANOVA was conducted to analyse the hypotheses, and independent t-tests and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were used for pairwise comparisons. The results indicated that the experimental groups demonstrated significantly higher levels of performance, self-confidence, and mental toughness compared to the control group (p = 0.001). Additionally, the combined intervention group outperformed both the mindfulness and biofeedback groups in all measured variables (p = 0.001). Overall, the findings support the effectiveness of mindfulness and biofeedback training in improving performance, self-confidence, and mental toughness. Moreover, combining these two approaches yields more significant benefits than using each method independently.