Paweł Adam Piepiora¹, Ernest Żak¹, Zbigniew Norbert Piepiora², Jolita Vveinhardt³

¹  Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Poland
² Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences
³ Klaipėdos valstybinė kolegija / Higher Education Institution, Lithuania

Author for correspondence: wpisz: Send to: Paweł Adam

Paweł Adam Piepiora ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6525-3936
Ernest Żak ORCID: 
Zbigniew Norbert Piepiora: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0259-4004
Jolita Vveinhardt ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6231-9402

Abstract

Background and Study Aim: The utilisation of music in sports training has been demonstrated to yield tangible benefits, with a particular emphasis placed on the significance of individual differences between athletes. The present study's cognitive objective is the knowledge about athletes’ predispositions in terms of concentration during training sessions with the use of music.

Material and Methods: A total of 117 subjects (74 female and 43 male, aged 22-24 years) who engage in competitive training utilising music were examined: 55 in bodybuilding; 32 in volleyball and 30 in fitness. The Dominant Attentional Style (DAS) questionnaire was utilised in the study. The DAS comprises ten questions, with respondents being awarded 1 point for answering ‘yes’ and 2 points for answering ‘no’. Consequently, a score ranging from 10 to 20 points can be obtained, which is interpreted as follows: a score between 10 and 13 points indicates that the respondents predominantly exhibit a dissociative style (they actively seek forms of distraction from the discomfort of heavy training). Scores falling between 14 and 16 points indicate an absence of style dominance among respondents (they are only able to derive specific benefits from music during monotonous training sessions). Scores ranging from 17 to 20 on this scale indicate a preponderance of respondents who favour an associative approach. The level of significance was set at α = 0.05.

Results: Athletes training in volleyball were characterised by a statistically significantly lower level on the attention style scale (12.75 poi points) than fitness athletes (13.97 points) and bodybuilders (14.25 points). Taking into account the specific nature of the samples, the dissociative style was characteristic of: 75% of volleyball players, 36.4% of bodybuilders and 33.3% of fitness athletes; no dominant style was characteristic of: 25% of volleyball players, 45.5% of bodybuilders and 66.7% of fitness athletes; the associative style was characteristic of only 18.2% of bodybuilders. In the studied population of athletes, 46.2% generally exhibited a dissociative style, 45.3% had no dominant style, and 8.5% exhibited an associative style.

Conclusions: In the process of devising training programmes that incorporate music, it is essential to take into account the unique characteristics of the athletes in question, as well as the specific nature of the respective sport.

Keywords: associative style, concentration, dissociative style, sports psychology

AMA
Piepiora PA, Żak E, Piepiora ZN, Vveinhardt J. Dominant attentional style of competitive athletes who train with music. Arch Budo J Innov Agon. 2026;22.
APA
Piepiora, P. A., Żak, E., Piepiora, Z. N., & Vveinhardt, J. (2026). Dominant attentional style of competitive athletes who train with music. Arch Budo Journal of Innovation Agonology, 22.
Chicago
Piepiora, Paweł Adam, Ernest Żak, Zbigniew Norbert Piepiora, and Jolita Vveinhardt. 2026. “Dominant Attentional Style of Competitive Athletes Who Train with Music.” Arch Budo Journal of Innovation Agonology 22.
Harvard
Piepiora, P.A., Żak, E., Piepiora, Z.N. & Vveinhardt, J. (2026). Dominant attentional style of competitive athletes who train with music. Arch Budo Journal of Innovation Agonology, 22.
MLA
Piepiora, Paweł Adam, et al. “Dominant Attentional Style of Competitive Athletes Who Train with Music.” Arch Budo Journal of Innovation Agonology, vol. 22, 2026.
Vancouver
Piepiora PA, Żak E, Piepiora ZN, Vveinhardt J. Dominant attentional style of competitive athletes who train with music. Arch Budo J Innov Agon. 2026;22.