Effects of Cognitive Restructuring Intervention on Competitive State Anxiety and Volleyball Skill Performance Among Female Collegiate Volleyball Players in Guangzhou, China

This study will examine whether an 8-week cognitive restructuring (CR) program can reduce competitive state anxiety and improve volleyball skill performance among female collegiate volleyball players in Guangzhou, China. Approximately 96 players from six university women's volleyball teams will participate. The six teams will be randomly assigned to either the CR intervention group or the neutral volleyball referee-instruction group. Both groups will continue their regular volleyball training. The CR group will receive weekly group sessions, brief pre-training exercises and homework focused on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts in volleyball pressure situations. The comparison group will receive ordinary volleyball referee-signal instruction as a neutral educational activity and will not receive cognitive restructuring or other psychological-skills training. Participants will complete assessments before and after the 8-week study period. The assessments will include questionnaires measuring competitive state anxiety, trait sport anxiety, sleep quality and mental effort, together with standardized tests of serving, reception, spiking, blocking and defence. The study will compare changes in anxiety and volleyball skill performance between the two groups. Participation is voluntary. The study involves no drugs or medical devices. Exercise and testing-related discomfort will be monitored, and participants may stop or withdraw from the study at any time without penalty.

Inclusion Criteria:Inclusion Criteria: * Female collegiate volleyball players aged 18-24 years from the six participating university teams located in Guangzhou. * Current members of a university volleyball team and actively participating in regular volleyball training. * Able to complete the selected standardized volleyball skill tests and study questionnaires. * Able to understand Mandarin Chinese. * Able to participate in the 8-week intervention and all scheduled assessments at baseline (T0), week 4 (T1), and week 8 (T2). * Willing to provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Current or recent severe musculoskeletal injury, or another medical condition that prevents safe participation in volleyball training or skill testing. * Medical contraindication to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. * Inability or unwillingness to complete the 8-week study protocol or scheduled assessments. * Ongoing psychological treatment or participation in another structured anxiety-reduction program that could affect the intervention. * Diagnosed sleep disorder or severe sleep disturbance requiring treatment.