Anxiety, Athletic Performance, Interoception, Perceived Stress, Physical Performance, Sleep Quality
Conditions
Keywords
Interoceptive awareness, MAIA-2, Perceived Stress Scale, State-Trait Anxiety, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Handgrip strength, Countermovement jump, Sit-and-reach, Y-Balance test, Sport sciences students, Mediation analysis, Gender differences, Team sports, Individual sports
Brief summary
This cross-sectional observational study examined the relationships between interoceptive awareness, perceived stress, state and trait anxiety, sleep quality, and physical performance indicators in university-level sport sciences students. A total of 85 undergraduate students (54 males, 31 females; mean age = 20.65 ± 2.43 years) from the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Inonu University participated. Participants completed self-report measures (MAIA-2, PSS-10, STAI, PSQI) and a physical performance battery including handgrip strength, countermovement jump, sit-and-reach flexibility, and Y-Balance test. The study also investigated the moderator role of gender and sport type (team vs. individual) in these relationships, and tested the parallel mediating roles of perceived stress, trait anxiety, and sleep quality using PROCESS Model 4 with 5,000 bootstrap resamples.
Detailed description
Background: Interoceptive awareness - the perception, interpretation, and regulation of internal bodily signals - has emerged as a psychological resource relevant to sport performance and mental health. However, empirical evidence linking interoceptive awareness to objective physical performance outcomes in athletic populations remains limited, particularly regarding potential psychological mediators such as perceived stress, anxiety, and sleep quality. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to examine the direct and mediated relationships between interoceptive awareness and physical performance indicators in university sport sciences students. The secondary objectives were to investigate (a) the parallel mediating roles of perceived stress, trait anxiety, and sleep quality; and (b) the differences in study variables based on gender and sport type (team vs. individual). Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 85 undergraduate students (54 males, 31 females) enrolled at the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Inonu University. Data collection was conducted between May 11 and May 17, 2026. Psychological measures included the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Physical performance was assessed via handgrip strength (digital dynamometer), countermovement jump (My Jump 2 mobile application), sit-and-reach flexibility, and Y-Balance test (composite score). Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation, independent samples t-tests, hierarchical multiple regression, and parallel multiple mediation analysis (Hayes PROCESS Model 4; 5,000 bootstrap resamples). Expected Outcomes: The study aims to clarify whether interoceptive awareness contributes to physical performance directly or indirectly through psychological mediators, and to determine whether such relationships are moderated by demographic and sport-related factors.
Interventions
OTHERPsychological and Physical Performance Assessment Battery
Participants completed a battery of self-report psychological measures (MAIA-2, PSS-10, STAI State-Trait, PSQI) followed by a standardized physical performance testing session including handgrip strength (digital dynamometer), countermovement jump (My Jump 2 mobile application), sit-and-reach flexibility test, and Y-Balance test. All assessments were conducted in a single 45-minute session per participant.
Sponsors
Inonu University
Study design
Observational model
CASE_ONLY
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Enrollment as an undergraduate student at the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Inonu University * Age 18 years or older * Voluntary willingness to participate in the study * Provision of written informed consent * Absence of acute injury or illness on the day of measurement
Exclusion criteria
* Acute musculoskeletal injury or illness at the time of measurement * Failure or refusal to provide written informed consent * Incomplete data on primary study measures * Any contraindication to physical performance testing
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Y-Balance Test Composite Score | Single measurement at baseline (cross-sectional) | Dynamic balance and neuromuscular control assessed using the Y-Balance Test. Participants reached in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions while standing on one leg. Composite scores (%) were calculated for both right and left legs, normalized to leg length. |
| Interoceptive Awareness - MAIA-2 Total Score | Single measurement at baseline (cross-sectional) | Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Version 2 (MAIA-2) total score. The MAIA-2 is a 37-item self-report questionnaire assessing eight dimensions of interoceptive awareness (Noticing, Not-Distracting, Not-Worrying, Attention Regulation, Emotional Awareness, Self-Regulation, Body Listening, Trusting). Higher scores indicate greater interoceptive awareness. Total score is calculated as the mean of all 37 items (range: 0-5). |
| Handgrip Strength | Single measurement at baseline (cross-sectional) | Maximal handgrip strength (kg) measured using a digital hand dynamometer (Baseline Model 12-0286). Participants performed three trials with the dominant hand in a standing position with the elbow in full extension. The highest of three trials was recorded, with 30-second rest between trials. |
| Sit-and-Reach Flexibility | Single measurement at baseline (cross-sectional) | Dynamic balance and neuromuscular control assessed using the Y-Balance Test. Participants reached in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions while standing on one leg. Composite scores (%) were calculated for both right and left legs, normalized to leg length. |
| Countermovement Jump Height | Single measurement at baseline (cross-sectional) | Vertical jump height (cm) assessed using the My Jump 2 mobile application, a validated iPhone-based tool for measuring jump performance. Participants performed three maximal countermovement jumps with hands on hips and knee flexion of approximately 90°. The highest value was recorded, with 60-second rest between trials. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| State Anxiety - STAI-S Total Score | Single measurement at baseline (cross-sectional) | State Anxiety subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) total score. Consists of 20 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale, assessing current anxiety level. Higher scores indicate higher state anxiety (range: 20-80). |
| Trait Anxiety - STAI-T Total Score | Single measurement at baseline (cross-sectional) | Trait Anxiety subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) total score. Consists of 20 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale, assessing general tendency toward anxiety. Higher scores indicate higher trait anxiety (range: 20-80). |
| Sleep Quality - PSQI Global Score | Single measurement at baseline; assesses sleep quality during the past month. | Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score. Assesses sleep quality over the past month across seven components: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. Global score ranges from 0 to 21, with scores greater than 5 indicating poor sleep quality. |
| Perceived Stress - PSS-10 Total Score | Single measurement at baseline; assesses stress experienced during the past month. | Perceived Stress Scale, 10-item version (PSS-10) total score. Assesses the degree to which participants perceived life events as stressful during the past month. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = never to 4 = very often); items 4, 5, 7, and 8 are reverse-scored. Higher scores indicate higher perceived stress (range: 0-40). |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed