A systematic review of flow interventions in sport and exercise

Abstract

Flow is an optimal psychological state associated with exceptional performances and positive subjective experiences in sport and exercise. Considering these reported benefits, there have been many attempts to promote flow experiences through interventions. However, there is little evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of flow interventions in sport and exercise. This study aimed to systematically review, synthesise, and evaluate the efficacy of flow interventions in sport and exercise to date. Twenty-nine empirical studies, published before August 2020 were identified, primarily comprising single-case designs (41.38%) and quasi-experimental designs (34.48%). Strategies most commonly reported in flow interventions to date included: mindfulness (30.03%); hypnosis (17.24%); and imagery (13.79%). While there is evidence that interventions increased certain dimensions of flow, no studies to date have reported conclusive evidence that flow was induced through an intervention. None of the included studies were developed through an intervention development framework, and the strategies employed were generally only partially related to a conceptual framework of flow. Collectively, these findings suggest interventions reported to date have largely been unsuccessful at producing flow experiences. The conceptual, developmental, and methodological issues impacting the quality of flow interventions are discussed, and recommendations are made to improve the efficacy of flow interventions in future.