Supplementary Materials for Comparative Exercise Physiology: Flow state, resilience, and performance strategies in elite three-day eventing equestrian athletes

This study investigated the roles of psychological resilience, performance strategies, and flow state in elite equestrian three-day event riders, building on previous equestrian sport literature and bridging the gap in research about three-day eventing athletes relative to athletes in other equestrian disciplines. In order to better understand personal traits and states in athletes and individuals in high-physical-risk and sustained focus performance domains, this study examined baseline resilience levels, performance strategies used in specific competitions, and the flow state of event riders in those same competitions. The objective was to determine if performance strategies employed by elite three-day eventing athletes were related to baseline resilience and flow state characteristics, and if baseline resilience levels were related to levels of flow state within the group. Participants included 94 international level three-day eventing athletes (15 males, 78 females, 1 undisclosed; age 31.5±8.85) competing in the United States in the Spring 2021 Fédération Equestre International eventing season. Results demonstrated a modest but significant correlation (r = 0.277, P = 0.007) between baseline resilience levels (measured by the CD-RISC-10) and flow state (measured by the Flow Short Scale) for all athletes. Performance strategies were measured by the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS). Regression analyses indicated that the performance strategies subscales of emotional control and negative thinking were found to predict flow state (R2 = 0.174, F(2,74) = 7.80, P < 0.001). The sub-scales of goal setting, automaticity, emotional control, and self-talk predicted resilience (R2 = 0.382, F(4,72) = 11.13, P ≤ 0.001). No significant findings emerged between an athlete’s highest level of experience and their resilience scores (F(6,84) = 1.06, P = 0.394) or flow scores (F(6,85) = 1.37, P = 0.235). This study indicates a self-selection of riders in the elite levels of three-day eventing based on those who already demonstrate high levels of resilience as well as high propensity for experiencing flow state in competition.