ABSTRACT
Background: In recent years, psychological and physiological effects of music on athletic performance have become an attractive field of research. The present study investigates the effect of various kinds of music on mood characteristics and performance accuracy in skilled and semi-skilled female basketball players
Materials and Methods: The population for this quasiexperimental study consisted of skilled players [League] and semi-skilled players [PE students]. Seventy-two female basketball players [36 skilled and 36 semi-skilled] were selected randomly and assigned to different groups [exciting music, relaxation music, and favorite music]. Data was collected in two days using Brunel mood scale and 5-value Zachary scale for measuring the accuracy of basketball free-throw
Results: ANOVA results show that listening to music improved mood characteristics of participants significantly regardless of their skill level [p=0.012]. The interaction of test and type of music was significant on mood variables [p=0.01]. Favorite music was more effective than exciting music in improving mood properties [p<0.05]. In addition, music improved athletic performance regardless of skill level or type of prescribed music [2.58 +/- 0.093 in pretest vs. 2.88 +/- 0.77 in posttest]. Also, skilled players had significantly higher performance accuracy than semiskilled players [3.23 +/- 0.58 vs. 2.54 +/- 0.79] [p=0.001]
Conclusion: Results showed that negative emotions such as anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, and stress decreased in athletes regardless of the type of music, and positive mood characteristics, such as feeling strong, increased, which is indicative of mood improvement. Also, music improved the performance level regardless of the skill level or the type of prescribed music