Explicit and indirect, latency-based measure of aggression in striking combat sports.

Introduction: Aggression in sports is often perceived as a necessary trait for success, especially in martial arts. Aggression can be assessed both explicitly and implicitly, taking into account the dual processing model. The purpose of the research was to examine explicit and indirect, latency-based measure of aggression in competitive athletes practicing striking combat sports, according to gender and sports performance. At the same time, we verified whether aggression (implicit/unconscious and explicit) predicts sports performance in martial artists. Materials and methods: A total of 85 athletes practicing striking combat sports took part in the research. For implicit, latency-based measure of aggression, an Implicit Associations Test (IAT) was used, while explicit aggression was assessed with the Romanian adaptation of the Makarowski's Aggression Questionnaire for martial arts athletes. Results: Data analysis revealed (using multivariate analysis of variance) that athletes from striking combat sports having international sports performances registered significantly higher D-scores (IAT, p = 0.014) and lower values for Go-ahead factor (p = 0.006), compared to athletes without outstanding results. Goodman and Kruskal tau association test was used to check the existing associations between athletes' gender and martial arts athletes' level of explicit and implicit aggression. In addition, binomial logistic regression procedures were performed, predicting martial artists' likelihood to obtain higher sports results, based on explicit and indirect aggression. Conclusion: A stronger association between Aggression and Others (at implicit/unconscious level) and a moderate level (generally) for Go-ahead factor of explicit aggression are associated with an increased likelihood of sports performances in athletes. In addition, male martial arts athletes are more persistent despite obstacles, remaining more on the offensive (no gender-related association were found in terms of indirect/unconscious aggression, and for Foul Play and Assertiveness factors of explicit aggression). The study underlines the importance of addressing athletes' subconscious level to promote more constructive behaviors in competitions.

The role of psychological resilience and aggression in injury prevention among martial arts athletes.

Introduction: For martial artists, the ability to manage reactions in the face of adversity and bounce back after a stressful event can have major impact on performance. The scope of the research is to investigate martial artists' level of resilience and aggression (Go-ahead, Foul play, and Assertiveness factors), what is specific to athletes and who have suffered from moderate and/or severe injuries (in terms of resilience and three factors of aggression examined), and test the possibility that a psychological variable under investigation can predict athletes' injury severity. Materials and methods: A total sample of 154 athletes from striking combat sports-SC (karate, taekwondo, kickboxing, and boxing), grappling combat sports-GC (judo and BJJ), and mixed martial artists (MMA) participated in the research. For assessing resilience, the Romanian adaptation of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) was used, and for aggression, the Romanian adaptation of Makarowski's Sports Aggression Questionnaire was used. An injury report form was also created and applied to athletes. Results: The post-hoc tests (after running a single-factor multivariate analysis of variance) revealed significant differences for resilience and Foul (violent) play between the sports disciplines analyzed. A significant positive correlation was found between athletes' injury severity and assertiveness in SC and between injury severity and resilience in GC. Through the t-test for independent samples, it was highlighted that the average value for Foul (violent) play is significantly higher in athletes who have suffered mild, moderate, and/or severe injuries compared with martial arts athletes who have suffered from only mild/minor injuries. A binomial logistic regression was also performed to verify to what extent Foul play predicts athletes' injury severity. Conclusion: A low level of Foul (violent) play is linked with a decreased likelihood of moderate and/or severe injuries in martial arts athletes. The study findings suggest that resilience, foul play, and assertiveness have an important role in injury prevention among martial artists.