Neuro-Psychophysiological Characteristics of Athletes With Varying Levels of Experience

NCT07392385 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: Bozok-SBF-IK-2025124C195
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 42
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate the effects of an 8-week volleyball-specific stroboscopic training program on neuro-psychophysiological outcomes in female volleyball players with different levels of competitive experience. Participants will be categorized as novice, intermediate, or elite athletes and randomly assigned to either a stroboscopic training group or a control group. Both groups will continue their regular volleyball training, while only the intervention group will perform additional volleyball-specific drills using stroboscopic glasses. Neuro-psychophysiological assessments, including heart rate variability, electrodermal activity, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, dual-task performance, and eye-tracking measures, will be conducted before and after the training period. The study aims to determine whether stroboscopic training induces differential adaptations across experience levels and contributes to improved neuro-psychophysiological regulation associated with sport performance.

Conditions

Neuro-Psychophysiological Responses in Athletes; Athletes; Sports Performance; Visual-Motor Processing

Keywords

Stroboscopic Training; Dual-Task Performance; Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy; Electrodermal Activity; Eye Tracking; Athlete Experience Level

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Prefrontal Cortical Activation (fNIRS)

  Change in oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentrations in the prefrontal cortex measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy during dual-task performance

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week intervention.

• Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

  Change in heart rate variability indices reflecting autonomic nervous system regulation, assessed at rest using a photoplethysmography-based system.

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week intervention.

• Dual-Task Performance

  Change in reaction time and task performance under increasing levels of cognitive-motor demand assessed using a standardized dual-task protocol.

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week intervention.

• Electrodermal Activity (EDA)

  Change in skin conductance responses reflecting sympathetic nervous system activity recorded during task performance.

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week intervention.

• Eye-Tracking Measures

  Change in pupil diameter, fixation duration, and visual search behavior assessed using a wearable eye-tracking system during dual-task performance.

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week intervention.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Psychological Status (Depression, Anxiety, Stress)

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Stroboscopic Training Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will continue their regular volleyball training and perform the same volleyball-specific drills as the intervention group for 8 weeks. All exercises will be completed under normal visual conditions without the use of stroboscopic glasses.

Behavioral: Stroboscopic Volleyball Training

Control Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will continue their regular volleyball training and perform the same volleyball-specific drills as the intervention group for 8 weeks. All exercises will be completed under normal visual conditions without the use of stroboscopic glasses.

Behavioral: Conventional Volleyball Training (Control)

Interventions

Stroboscopic Volleyball Training BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform volleyball-specific training drills while wearing stroboscopic glasses that intermittently restrict visual input. The training will be conducted three times per week for 8 weeks, totaling 24 sessions. Each session will last approximately 35 minutes and will include volleyball-specific drills such as passing, setting, receiving, rotation-based movements, and reaction-based tasks. Visual disruption parameters of the stroboscopic glasses will be progressively adjusted throughout the intervention period.

Stroboscopic Training Group

Conventional Volleyball Training (Control) BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform the same volleyball-specific training drills as the intervention group for 8 weeks under normal visual conditions, without the use of stroboscopic glasses. Training frequency, duration, and drill content will be matched to the intervention group.

Control Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 10 Years - 16 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Female volleyball players aged 10 to 16 years
• Actively competing in organized volleyball
• Regular participation in team training sessions
• Classified as novice, intermediate, or elite based on training experience
• Written parental/legal guardian informed consent and participant assent obtained

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of any chronic medical condition affecting study outcomes
• Use of supplements or medications that may influence performance
• Current injury or participation in a rehabilitation program
• Failure to attend scheduled training sessions
• Inability to complete baseline or post-intervention assessments
• Injury occurring during the study period that prevents continued participation

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Scientific Research Project Fund of Yozgat Bozok University: collaborator
• Bozok University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Yozgat Bozok University Faculty of Sport Sciences

Yozgat, Merkez, 66100, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Zhong X, Dai Y, Xu M, Jiang C. Volleyball training improves working memory in children aged 7 to 12 years old: an fNIRS study. Cereb Cortex. 2024 Jul 3;34(7):bhae275. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhae275.

  PMID: 39030744 BACKGROUND

• Zwierko M, Jedziniak W, Popowczak M, Rokita A. Effects of six-week stroboscopic training program on visuomotor reaction speed in goal-directed movements in young volleyball players: a study focusing on agility performance. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024 Feb 29;16(1):59. doi: 10.1186/s13102-024-00848-y.

  PMID: 38424539 BACKGROUND

• Guo J, Zhao L, Liu G, Li H, Wu J. Stroboscopic training effects on athletic performance and cognitive function across populations, purposes, and skill types: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Sports Act Living. 2025 Dec 11;7:1705693. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1705693. eCollection 2025.

  PMID: 41458106 BACKGROUND

• Piva T, Zerbini V, Barducco A, Mancioppi S, Raisi A, Vassali M, Bianchini G, Laporta M, Menegatti E, Grazzi G, Mazzoni G, Mandini S. Reduction in reaction time and improved oculomotor function following football-specific vision training in young players. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025 Oct 16;17(1):298. doi: 10.1186/s13102-025-01368-z.

  PMID: 41102801 BACKGROUND

• Bherer L, Kramer AF, Peterson MS, Colcombe S, Erickson K, Becic E. Transfer effects in task-set cost and dual-task cost after dual-task training in older and younger adults: further evidence for cognitive plasticity in attentional control in late adulthood. Exp Aging Res. 2008 Jul-Sep;34(3):188-219. doi: 10.1080/03610730802070068.

  PMID: 18568979 BACKGROUND

• Beavan A, Hanke L, Spielmann J, Skorski S, Mayer J, Meyer T, Fransen J. The effect of stroboscopic vision on performance in a football specific assessment. Sci Med Footb. 2021 Nov;5(4):317-322. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2020.1862420. Epub 2020 Dec 20.

  PMID: 35077302 BACKGROUND

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessors and data analysts will be blinded to group allocation during data processing and analysis. Participants and care providers cannot be blinded due to the nature of the stroboscopic training intervention.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: Participants will be stratified according to competitive experience level (novice, intermediate, and elite) and randomly assigned to either a stroboscopic training group or a control group using a parallel-group design. All participants will remain in their assigned study arm throughout the intervention period.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 30, 2026
• First Posted: February 6, 2026
• Study Start: March 3, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 14, 2025
• Study Completion: June 21, 2025
• Last Updated: February 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: Beginning 6 months after publication of the primary results and ending 5 years thereafter.
• Access Criteria: Access to de-identified individual participant data will be granted to qualified researchers upon reasonable request. Requests must include a brief research proposal and be approved by the study investigators to ensure consistency with the original ethical approval and data protection regulations. Data will be shared only for non-commercial research purposes and in accordance with institutional and legal requirements.

Locations

TU (1)