An Exploratory Comparison of Subjective Mental Fatigue Following a Task Designed to Replicate the Observation of Game Film

Abstract

Laboratory-induced subjective mental fatigue (MF) has been shown to decrease sport-related performance (23, 38), yet there is a lack of research identifying tasks in real-world sport environments that induce MF (37). Since the identification of real-world tasks that induce MF may inform activities undertaken in the daily training and competition environments, the purpose of the current study was to compare changes in MF following a task designed to replicate the observation of game film to changes in MF following completion of a laboratory-based task (e.g., Stroop test). On separate counterbalanced visits, participants (N = 6) completed either (1) 35 min of replicated game film observation or (2) 35 min of the Stroop test. Visual analogue scales were used to measure MF, and a repeated measures analysis of variance [2 (time) x 2 (task)] was used to compare changes in MF following each task. No significant difference in changes in MF were found between conditions, F(1, 5) = 1.226, p = 0.319, and no main effect differences were found in MF pre-to-post for either task, F(1, 5) = 2.211, p = 0.197. Further efforts to identify real-world mentally fatiguing tasks are warranted.

Keywords: Soccer; Stroop test; cognitive fatigue; football.

Figure 1

FitLight Trainer™ Arrangement. Note: Participants were seated at the lab table and cued to act by one of three LED lights that randomly activated as either red or green.

Figure 2

Visual Analogue Scale Modified from 100 mm to 240 mm Based on Pilot Testing Note: Participants placed an X on the horizontal line indicating how mentally fatigued they felt in the moment. The example pictured is not to scale.

Figure 3

Interaction Between Time and Task of Subjective Mental Fatigue Note: Overlap of the respective error bars are representative of the lack of significant interaction.