Effects of mental fatigue and recovery through music on stroke performance among table tennis players in university

Mental fatigue (MF) is a psychobiological state induced by prolonged cognitive tasks. MF is known to affect athletes’ performance in both cognitive and physical domains; however, its effects on table tennis stroke performance and psychological factors, as well as the effects of music recovery in mitigating these effects, remain unexplored. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the effects of MF and music recovery on these variables. This study employed a pre-and post-test design using cluster randomised controlled trials. A total of 64 university table tennis players (n = 16 per group), aged 18 to 24 years, were recruited into four groups: fatigue music group (FMG), fatigue no music group (FNMG), fatigue control music group (FCMG), and fatigue control no music group (FCNMG). Table tennis stroke performance test and psychological factors measurements were employed in the four groups at baseline test, post-test 1 and post-test 2. In the first intervention, an incongruent Stroop task was administered to FMG and FNMG, while a congruent Stroop task was used in FCMG and FCNMG. In the second intervention, FMG and FCMG listened to the “Dreaming” music piece, looped twice for 8.48 minutes, with a black screen displayed. Meanwhile, FNMG and FCNMG were instructed to sit and relax with a black screen. The results from the Generalised Estimation Equations (GEE) indicated that the Stroop task significantly induced MF feeling (MD=-4.338, P<0.001). MF affected psychological factors such as negative emotion (MD=0.688, P<0.05); attention focusing (MD=2.500, P<0.001); attention shifting (MD=2.250, P<0.05); scope of attention (MD=1.750, P<0.001); thought-action repertoire (M=1.563, P<0.05); rate of perceived exertion (RPE) (MD=-1.375, P<0.001), and motivation (MD=1.163, P<0.001). Additionally, MF affected stroke performance in terms of stroke accuracy (MD=3.500, P<0.05), fault numbers (MD=-2.563, P<0.001), and total scores (MD=6.063, P<0.001). However, MF did not significantly affect positive emotion (MD=0.625, P=0.104) or stroke performance in speed (MD=0.663, P=0.412). On the other hand, music recovery mental fatigue by counteracting the MF feeling (MD=2.313, P<0.001), psychological factors of positive emotion (MD=-2.750, P<0.001); negative emotion (MD=0.938, P<0.001); attention-focusing (MD=-1.375, P<0.05); attention shifting (MD=-1.938, P<0.001); scope of attention (MD=-1.063, P<0.05), thought-action repertoire (MD=-1.375, P<0.05), RPE (MD=-1.813, P<0.001) and motivation (MD=-0.769, P <0.001). Meanwhile, music counteracted the stroke performance decrement in stroke accuracy (MD=-4.188, P<0.001), the fault numbers (MD=3.375, P<0.001), and the total score decrement (MD=-7.563, P<0.001). However, music did not significantly affect ball speed (MD=1.113, P=0.088). These findings were aligned with theories of the Strength Model of Self-Regulation, the improved Psychobiological Model of Endurance Performance and Broaden Effects. Table tennis players’ stroke accuracy, including accuracy numbers, fault numbers, total scores, and psychological factors, was affected by mental fatigue. Meanwhile, music may serve as an effective recovery strategy by counteracting the adverse effects of mental fatigue on stroke performance and underlying psychological factors. The coaches and table tennis players should avoid prolonged cognitive task exposure (e.g. smartphone use before the competition) under MF conditions. On the other hand, if MF occurred, music could be an effective recovery method to counteract the stroke performance decrements.

Text FPP 2025 4 Declaration form.pdf Restricted to Repository staff only Download (5MB) Text FPP 2025 4 fulltext.pdf Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (4MB) Official URL or Download Paper: https://ethesis.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/18984

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