ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AND TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE IN BADMINTON: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW PERFORMERS

Abstract

Background: Badminton, a popular   racket sport, requires a unique combination of physical, technical, and psychological attributes for success. Method: A total of 50 young male and female athletes were recruited from established badminton academies. Psychological constructs questionnaire proposed by TOPS containing 52 items on psychological factors which include emotional control, imagery, activation, Self-talk, relaxation, negative thinking, was used. Statmine application was installed on a tablet phone and used as a device for the collection of the players’ performance based on the main performance indicators such as clear shot, drop shot, drive shot, net shot, service, smash, and backhand drive. Players were classified into high- and low-performance groups using Hierarchical Agglomerative Cluster Analysis (HACA), followed by binomial logistic regression and group comparison analyses. Results: Regression analysis revealed that psychological variables did not significantly predict performance outcomes. However, group comparison results indicated that high-performing athletes demonstrated better emotional control, imagery, activation, and self-talk, along with superior technical performance. Additionally, negative thinking was more prevalent among lower-performing athletes, suggesting a potential negative influence on cognitive and attentional processes during performance. Conclusion: Psychological skills enhance technical performance, whereas negative thinking may hinder performance. Integrating psychological and technical training is recommended, with further longitudinal research warranted.