Noise Sensitivity as a Predictor of Stress, Energy, and Performance in Elite Badminton Umpires During a World Championship Tournament

Sammanfattning

Badminton umpires officiating at elite tournaments work in environments with high levels of noise exposure originating from both the court and the crowd. This preliminary exploratory study examined the relationship between umpires’ noise sensitivity and perceived stress, energy, and subjective performance across a world championship badminton tournament. Validated questionnaires were completed by seven elite umpires across seven days of officiating at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships. The data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models to account for repeated measures within individuals. The results revealed a small positive association between noise sensitivity and subjective performance. No significant relationships were found between noise sensitivity and perceived stress or energy. The findings may reflect adaptive attentional control or coping strategies among elite umpires operating in high-pressure environments. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is needed to clarify the role of noise sensitivity among elite badminton umpires.