The Impact of Meaningful vs. Neutral Symbol Visualization on Sport-Related Performance

NCT07843394 | Not Yet Recruiting

• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The study will provide preliminary information for sport psychology and performance research by examining the relationship among symbolic meaning, physiological response, psychological response, and performance-related measures. It may help determine whether a personally meaningful animal symbol is associated with different HRV, trait sport-confidence, rope climbing speed, and grip-strength responses than a neutral wooden-block symbol. Results may help refine future studies of visualization, competitive identity, psychological skills training, and performance. Because this is a pilot study, findings will be interpreted cautiously and used primarily to assess feasibility, estimate preliminary effects, and improve the protocol for future research.

Conditions

Wrestling

Keywords

Pilot Projects; Interventional; Male Wrestlers; Visualization

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Proportion of eligible athletes enrolled

  The number of eligible male wrestlers enrolled (i.e., consented), divided by the total number of eligible male wrestlers identified via the online screen. This assesses "Recruitment".

  Through study completion (up to 2 weeks)

• Proportion of assessment batteries completed

  The number of assessment batteries completed, as directed, divided by the total number of assessment batteries attempted. This assesses "Tolerability"

  Through study completion (up to 30 minutes)

• Proportion of wrestlers able to perform the visualization exercise (meaningful symbol arm)

  The number of wrestlers in the meaningful symbol arm able to perform the visualization exercise, as directed, divided by the total number of wrestlers in the meaningful symbol arm attempting the visualization exercise. This assesses "Adherence (experimental arm)".

  Through study completion (up to 2 weeks)

• Proportion of wrestlers able to perform the visualization exercise (neutral symbol arm)

  The number of wrestlers in the neutral symbol arm able to perform the visualization exercise, as directed, divided by the total number of wrestlers in the neutral symbol arm attempting the visualization exercise. This assesses "Adherence (control arm)".

  Through study completion (up to 2 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change difference in rope climb speed

  Through study completion (up to 30 minutes)

• Change difference in average grip strength

  Through study completion (up to 30 minutes)

• Change difference in Sport Confidence

  Through study completion (up to 30 minutes)

Study Arms (2)

Meaningful Symbol Visualization

EXPERIMENTAL

In this condition, athletes will close their eyes and focus on a symbol/image that has personal meaning to them for 5 minutes.

Procedure: Meaningful Symbol Visualization

Neutral Symbol Visualization

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

In this condition, athletes will close their eyes and focus on a symbol/image that has no personal meaning to them for 5 minutes.

Procedure: Neutral Symbol Visualization

Interventions

Meaningful Symbol Visualization PROCEDURE

The athlete closes his eyes and imagines an animal symbol/image that has personal meaning. The animal may represent characteristics such as strength, speed, aggression, persistence, dominance, confidence, or competitiveness.

Meaningful Symbol Visualization

Neutral Symbol Visualization PROCEDURE

The athlete closes his eyes and imagines a symbol/image that has no personal meaning to them (i.e., wooden block).

Neutral Symbol Visualization

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 years or older.
• Male wrestler currently participating in training or competition or redshirting.
• Practiced symbol visualization for at least 6 months prior to the start of this study

You may not qualify if:

• Current injury or illness that makes the planned physical performance testing inappropriate according to institutional/team medical guidance (e.g., recent concussion with persistent symptoms).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tyson Perez, DC, PhD: lead

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Data Analyst
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Co-Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 21, 2026
• First Posted: September 28, 2026
• Study Start: October 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Last Updated: September 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: (start date): within 1 year of study completion. (end date): indefinitely
• Access Criteria: IPD, metadata \& analytic code necessary to reproduce results will be made publicly accessible via a data repository