The Effect of Manipulating Attentional Focus on Performance of Top-Spine Strike of Skilled and Novice Table Tennis Players Under High Psychological Pressure

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of manipulating attentional focus on performance of top-spine strike of skilled and novice table tennis players under high psychological pressure. Thirty (15 skilled and 15 novices) persons participated in this study. Participants performed top-spine strike under high/low psychological pressure and different attentional focus conditions (single task, dual task with internal focus, dual task with irrelevant external attention, dual task with relevant external attention). Results revealed that novice group experienced lower decrease during high psychological pressure when their attentional focus was directed internally. No decrease was observed in the performance of skilled group when their attention was directed externally (relevant or irrelevant) during high pressure. These results were explained according to the dual effect of psychological pressure and the notion of controlling degrees of freedom.