Effects of perceptual-cognitive training on sport-specific athletic performance: a systematic review and a three level meta-analysis

Sport-specific performance refers to sport-relevant motor skills, tactical decisions, and strategic execution during competition. Perceptual-cognitive training (PCT), encompassing domain-general approaches that target fundamental processes and domain-specific approaches that utilize representative sport stimuli or tasks, has been widely used to enhance such performance. However, its overall effectiveness and the conditions under which it is most beneficial remain unclear. This systematic review and three-level meta-analysis synthesized 23 studies (52 effect sizes) to examine the effects of PCT and potential moderators. PCT showed a moderately large positive effect on sport-specific performance (Hedges’ g = 0.86, p < 0.001), with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 81.65%). Significant improvements were observed for both off-field and on-field performance, with larger effects in off-field measures. Significant benefits were found for Tier 2–4 athletes and for team-based open-skill sports. Domain-specific interventions showed significant effects (g = 0.91), whereas domain-general interventions did not. Both off-field and on-field training settings were effective. Meta-regression revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between sport experience and intervention effectiveness, peaking at approximately 6.14 years, while age and training frequency were not significant moderators. These findings indicate that PCT can improve sport-specific performance, with effects influenced by sport type, training design, and athlete experience. However, as the overall evidence was of moderate quality, these findings should be interpreted with caution.