Abstract
Introduction: Over the past decade, women's football has gained significant visibility, leading to increased attention on the psychological factors that influence players' performance. Mental toughness is identified as a key trait that allows athletes to remain focused and resilient in high-pressure environments. Objective: This systematic review aims to analyze the psychological determinants of performance in young women's football, focusing on mental toughness, anxiety management, motivation, and team cohesion. Methodology: This review followed PRISMA guidelines and systematically searched four databases (PubMed, ProQuest, SCOPUS, FECYT) for articles published before October 1, 2024. The PICO framework was applied to define the research question, and data were extracted into an Excel spreadsheet, a total of 11 articles met all the inclusion criteria and were included in the final qualitative synthesis. Results: anxiety is explored in five studies, highlighting its physiological and psychological effects on performance and its predictors in elite athletes; resilience is examined in three studies, focusing on how young female athletes adapt to adversity to enhance performance and life skills; motivation is the subject of six studies, emphasizing intrinsic and extrinsic factors driving engagement, performance, and social influences in sports; and team cohesion is analyzed in two studies, illustrating its role in fostering better performance perceptions and group dynamics. Conclusions: Coaching strategies that foster a positive motivational climate and incorporate mental skills training can enhance psychological resilience, motivation, and performance outcomes.
Published Version
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