Cognitive and emotional functioning related to climbing performance. C-Hipper Project

Abstract

The recent inclusion of climbing in the 2020 Olympic Games has sparked a growing scientific interest in the sport in recent years, particularly concerning determinants of sports performance. While numerous studies underscore the influence and significance of psychological aspects on climbing performance, there remains a pressing need for further research in this area. To address this knowledge gap, the general aim of the present Ph.D. Thesis was to enhance understanding of psychological parameters within cognitive, emotional, and brain activity domains among climbers of different levels, from recreational to elite, specifically examining how these factors interrelate and contribute to climbing performance. Within the framework of the C-HIPPER project ("Climbing High Performance International Project") four studies were conducted, along with an invention, involving 136 climbers (60 women), with levels ranging from 5+ to 8b+ on the French scale. Study I, examined the attentional capacity in 35 (10 women) climbers, employing the Determination Task and the Signal Detection Task. Study II, evaluated the working memory capacity in 28 (5 women) climbers, using the eCorsi task, and the hemodynamic responses of the prefrontal cortex recorded via Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). An Invention, now patented, introduced a system for training working memory and climbing technique. Study III assessed emotional intelligence in 42 (14 women) climbers, using the Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Lastly, Study IV implemented a psychological intervention addressing emotional regulation in 11 women with fear of falling, evaluating anxiety and interoceptive awareness through the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2 R) and the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) questionnaire, respectively, across Training and Control groups. The main results derived from these studies suggest that i) greater attentional control in high-level climbers compared to lower-level climbers (Study I); ii) an inverse relationship between WM capacity and climbing level, with age, sex, educational level, and climbing experience as significant predictors (Study II); iii) variation in prefrontal cortex hemodynamic reflecting differences in WM capacity between expert and elite climbers (Study II); iv) significant differences in prefrontal cortex hemodynamics between men and women present, despite similar WM capacity (Study II); v) the development of a novel system for WM and technique training in climbing (Invention); vi) differences in emotional intelligence as an ability, specifically in a person's ability to use emotions effectively to facilitate cognitive thinking, among climbers of different levels (Study III); vii) no significant differences in trait emotional intelligence between climbers of different levels (Study III); viii) significant differences in trait emotional intelligence between men and women (Study III); ix) a psychological intervention induced improvements in lead climbing level and interoceptive awareness, and reduced anxiety in women with fear of falling (Study IV). In general, the findings of this Ph.D. Thesis indicate that differences among climbers of different levels in cognitive functions, such as attention and WM, as well as in the emotional domain, in EI and emotional regulation, may play a crucial role in climbing performance.