| Study | Design & Aim | Method | Sample | Key Findings |
| 1) | Cross-sectional study Aim: To examine the relationship between mental toughness (MT) and dispositional flow | Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48 (MTQ48) and Dispositional Flow Scale-2 (DFS-2) | 135 athletes from University and local sports teams (i.e. soccer, rugby, netball, hockey). (104 men, 31 women) Mage = 20.81 years, SD = 2.76; M experience = 9.34 years, SD = 5.43 | Strong correlation between MT dimension, confidence and the components of flow: a sense of control (r = .68; p < .001) and skill balance (r = 66; p < .001). Also, positive correlations emerged between total MT and global flow (r = 0.65, p < .001) and significant correlations appeared between subscales of MTQ48 and DFS-2 (r = .26 to .68; p < .01). High levels of confidence and challenge can predict the frequency of flow. |
| 2) | Cross-sectional study Aim: Potential direct and indirect effects of confidence and anxiety dimensions on flow state in tennis competition. | Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 d (CSAI-2d), and Flow State Scale-2 (FSS-2) | 59 junior tennis players (35 boys, 24 girls) Mage = 14.03, SD = 1.40; M competition years = 3.95, SD = 1.42; M training hours per week = 5.36, SD = 3.60 | CSAI-2d showed significant positive correlations with eight flow subscales (r = .72, p < .01), expect time transformation. Flow dimensions showed negative links with anxiety constructs, more so with cognitive (r = −.21, p < .01) than with somatic (r = −.20, p < .01). |
| 3) | Cross-sectional study Aim: To examine the mediation of confidence between sources of sport confidence (including achievement, self-regulation, and social climate) and athletes’ affect in competition | Sources of Sport Confidence Questionnaire, Trait Sport Confidence Inventory (TSCI) and DFS-2 | 386 athletes from various sports (football, rugby, basketball, swimming and hockey) (257 men, 129 women) Mage = 20.69, SD = 3.17 M experience = 10.14 years, SD = 4.92; M competition = 8.14 years; SD = 4.22 | Small significant correlations were found between sources of confidence and sport confidence (r = .15, p < .01) and dispositional flow (r = .24, p < .01). The only significant predictor of confidence appeared was achievement, b = .15, p < .05. On a subscale level, confidence showed moderate to strong association with flow dimensions of challenge?skills balance (r = .60, p < .001), sense of control (r = .46, p < .001), and concentration on the task at hand (r = .42, p < .001). |
| 4) | Cross-sectional study Aim: To investigate the relationship between psychological correlates and flow in tennis competition | DFS-2, FSS-2, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale-Short Form (MCSDS-SF), Action Control Scale-Sport (ACSS), Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ), Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS), and TSCI | 261 junior tennis players (180 boys, 81 girls) Mage = 14.34, SD = 1.57; M years in tennis competitions = 4.28, SD = 1.86; M training hours per week = 9.01, SD = 5.87 | Moderate to strong correlations found between dispositional flow and trait confidence (r = .59; p < .001), imagery use (r = .58; p < .001), and action control (r = .41; p < .001). |