Investigating the psychological effects of new equipment and technologies on professional athletes

Introduction: The importance of new equipment and technologies on professional athletes has led to a greater understanding of the need for studies in this area to determine its psychological effects on athletes. Aim: The present study examines the psychological effects of new equipment and technologies on professional athletes. Method: The method of the present study was mixed. The statistical population of the research in the qualitative section included experts aware of the subject of the research who were identified as the research sample according to the purposeful selection of 12 people. Also, the statistical population of the research in a small part included professional athletes in Tehran in 2021, which according to the available selection, 200 people were identified as the research sample. The collection tools included a semi-structured interview and a researcher-made questionnaire. The statistical method used in the qualitative part included the coding method. The coding performed in this research was done in three sections of open, axial and selective coding. SPSS software version 20 was used for quantitative data analysis. Results: The results showed that the psychological effects of new equipment and technologies on professional athletes were identified in four categories: motivational, mental, behavioral, and interpersonal. The results indicate that behavioral effects (X=3.33) and mental effects (X=4.05) are higher than the average level, indicating the strong effects on professional athletes. Conclusion: According to the results, new equipment and technologies can affect athletes in individual, behavioral and mental areas.