Could you provide an overview of your research?
Sasaba : I specialize in sports psychology and work on two fronts: practical support as a sports psychology consultant and research and education as a researcher and university faculty member. In my practical work, I provide psychological support based on mental training to help elite athletes, such as Olympic and professional athletes, maximize their performance.
In recent years, it has become widely recognized that improving performance at the highest levels requires not only technical and physical training but also psychological strengthening. One of the key approaches to this is mental training. The psychological pressure and anxiety experienced by athletes representing their countries at the Olympics, World Championships, and other such events is immeasurable. I support them in preparing mentally so they can perform at their best on what may be the most important stage of their lives. At the same time, maintaining a strong foundation of mental health is crucial for maximizing performance. Through careful assessment, I identify the issues that each athlete faces and provide mental training tailored to their individual needs.
Meanwhile, on the research side, I conduct empirical studies on the methods and effectiveness of mental training to accumulate scientific evidence and research findings, which I then feed back into the practical support I provide to athletes.
What kind of empirical research have you conducted so far?
Sasaba : I have worked with elite athletes aiming to compete in the Olympics, providing a long-term support program and examining the effects of mental training in phases. Much of the existing research on mental training has relied on subjective and experience-based analysis by the athletes themselves or their consultants, and there are few examples of the verification of effectiveness that draws on both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In particular, there is very little research examining how mental training functions and contributes to performance enhancement in high-level competitive settings characterized by extreme pressure— that is, situations most people never experience.
In this study, I set the goal of enabling athletes to perform at their full potential in competition and implemented a long-term mental training program over several years. I attempted to measure and visualize the effects of training at each phase leading up to competition using both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Assessing the athletes in this study, I identified psychological factors that hindered performance and selected breathing techniques as a relaxation skill. Athletes in a state of over-arousal from excessive pressure experience an elevated heart rate and breathing that becomes faster and shallower than normal. In this context, abdominal breathing, which individuals can consciously control and which directly affects the body, has been demonstrated to be an effective self-regulation skill.
What was the research process and what were your findings?
Sasaba : First, I conducted breathing training in a laboratory setting and measured heart rate, breathing rhythm, and respiration rate before and after training. By visualizing the effects numerically, I was able to provide immediate feedback to the athletes, helping them recognize the effect of breathing training. While continuing the breathing training sessions with the athletes, I then measured their heart rate and respiration rate to quantitatively verify the effectiveness of the training. In the final phase of the study, I organized demonstration sessions under conditions as close as possible to actual competition. By having athletes practice breathing techniques immediately before performance, I demonstrated that these techniques actually help maintain optimal concentration and mental health even in competitive settings.
The athletes involved in the study successfully acquired breathing techniques as a self-regulation skill and ultimately achieved their goal of qualifying for the Olympics.
In addition to individual sports, psychological factors are also considered important in team sports. I focused in particular on collective efficacy, which is known to have a variety of influences on team performance, and I have verified the effectiveness of psychological intervention programs designed to enhance collective efficacy.
Could you tell us what you are currently working on and what your outlook for the future is?
Sasaba : Currently, I am focusing on providing psychological support to athletes striving for selection to represent Japan at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as well as to the support staff around them.
In addition to supporting performance enhancement, another important issue is athletes’ career development. Even among elite athletes, not everyone can realize their dreams. Because they dedicate so much of their lives to their sport, when those dreams are cut short, or when their competitive careers come to an end, they may experience a deep sense of defeat or inadequacy, and face a crisis of losing their sense of identity. One thing I see as an issue is that there are still very few systems in Japan to support athletes through this transition into a second career. I also intend to devote even greater energy going forward to supporting those who have given everything to their sport to help them come to terms with their results, whatever they may be, and find their way toward a life of happiness and fulfilment beyond competition.