Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under CC BY-NC 4.0 license

Authors

• Abolfazl Barzegar Mohamad Hasani ¹
• Alireza Farsi ²
• Alireza Bahrami ³
• Ebrahim Moteshareie ²
• Behrouz Abdoli ¹

¹ PhD student in Physical Education and Sport Sciences, . Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences and Technology in Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, Shahid Beheshti University

² Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences and Technology in Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

³ . Department of Motor behavior and sports psychology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Arak, Arak, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) focuses on modifying irrational beliefs, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) aims to modulate prefrontal cortex activity. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of REBT and tDCS on perfectionism and burnout among adolescent athletes to enhance psychological well-being .Methodology: This quasi-experimental study utilized a pretest-posttest design with a 3-month follow-up and a control group. Sixty semi-skilled male footballers (aged 16–18) were selected via convenience sampling and randomly assigned to four groups (n=15 each): REBT, tDCS, Combined, and Sham. Instruments included the Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale , the Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sport , and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire . The REBT and Combined groups received eight 45-minute sessions. The tDCS group received 15 minutes of stimulation (2 mA), while the Sham group received 2 minutes of stimulation every five days. Data were analyzed using Mixed Between-Within Subjects Analysis of Variance and Bonferroni post-hoc tests.Findings: REBT (both standalone and combined ) significantly increased positive perfectionism (p < 0.01) and decreased negative perfectionism (p < 0.01), with effects sustained at the 3-month follow-up. No significant effects were observed on athlete burnout, tDCS alone didnt produce significant changes in any of the variables (p > 0.05).Conclusion: The findings suggest that REBT is an efficacious for managing perfectionism dimensions in adolescents. To mitigate psychological pressure in youth , focusing on cognitive restructuring of underlying beliefs through REBT is recommended. For tDCS to be effective, future research should consider adjusting stimulation parameters and increasing session frequency.

Keywords

• Perfectionism
• Burnout
• Rational Emotive Behavioral Intervention
• Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Main Subjects

• Motor Development and Learning