Affect, cognition, and interpersonal predictors of performance in beach volleyball: a systematic review

Abstract

Beach volleyball is a physically and psychologically demanding sport in which performance is produced by two interdependent athletes under variable environmental and competitive demands. This systematic review synthesized empirical evidence on psychological states and processes associated with competitive and technical-tactical performance in beach volleyball. Following PRISMA 2020, Scopus was searched on 21 August 2026 using predefined terms covering psychological states and processes. Of 403 records identified, 15 duplicates were removed, 388 records were screened, 98 reports were assessed in full text, and 22 studies met the eligibility criteria. Eligible studies were peer-reviewed English-language empirical investigations involving beach volleyball athletes, dyads, or teams and examining affect, anxiety, mood, mental fatigue, cognition, decision-making, motivation, coping/resilience, personality, or interpersonal processes. Thematic synthesis identified four broad clusters: affect, anxiety and mood; mental fatigue and cognition; decision-making and psychological momentum; and psychological skills, personality, and interpersonal processes. The evidence suggests that anxiety interpretation and self-confidence may be more informative than anxiety intensity alone, whereas mental fatigue and sleep restriction are consistently associated with poorer attack or perceptual-cognitive performance. Decision-making is influenced by contextual information, prior outcomes, and probability biases, while partnership quality and interpersonal regulation appear relevant to team functioning. However, the evidence base is heterogeneous, frequently cross-sectional, and based on small samples. Findings should therefore be interpreted as associations rather than universal causal effects. Future research should prioritize longitudinal, dyad-sensitive, ecologically valid, and technology-assisted designs with standardized assessment and replication.