Variables psicológicas influyentes en el desempeño de árbitros FIFA: un estudio cualitativo

This study describes the main psychological factors required for the practice of refereeing, as perceived by the referees of the “Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Chile” (ANFP). For this, a qualitative study was conducted where eight international FIFA referees analyzed, through semi-structured interviews, the impact of the psychological factor on their work. Results show that the most commonly mentioned mental variable was “self-control”, which may be associated to the emotional self-regulation and behavioral process during their performance. Other variables reported included concentration, capacity for abstraction, and game control. It is concluded that participants recognize the influence of psychological factors in their performance and tend to associate it to emotional factors (self-control) that affect cognitive (concentration) and contextual factors directed to a central objective related to game management. Based on the results, the implications and the possibilities for interventions in referee training and advising, mainly intended to develop strategies to face the demands inherent to the role of the referee, are discussed.