The utility of psychological readiness scales in predicting return to sport: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This review aims to synthesise evidence on the predictive role of self-reported psychological readiness measures in return to sport (RTS) after sports injury. METHODS: The study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement, employing both electronic database searches (including Web of Science, Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus) and manual searches. The inclusion criteria for this study comprised two key elements: (1) articles published in international journals in English; (2) articles utilising psychological readiness for RTS scales in their research. The exclusion criteria included the following: (1) articles unrelated to sports injury topics; (2) articles about concussions; (3) psychological readiness unrelated to RTS; (4) grey literature; (5) review studies; (6) articles utilising psychological readiness for RTS scales that were non-English translations; and (7) articles examined mental states after sport injuries using only one type of measure, either emotional or self-efficacy rather than a comprehensive assessment. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. RESULTS: Sixty-two relevant studies were included. The results of the systematic review indicated that psychological readiness self-assessments can be categorised into four key domains: 1) predicting physical recovery outcomes (n = 24), 2) predicting return to sport practices (n = 18), 3) predicting quality of life-related to injury and reinjury rates (n = 7), and 4) predicting post-return sport performance levels and physical activity levels (n = 13). CONCLUSION: This review underscores the value of psychological readiness assessments as predictors of RTS outcomes. The findings support their clinical utility, while also highlighting the need for further research into injury-specific and objective measures to enhance assessment accuracy. This systematic review has been registered in PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42025642947).