University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Journal of Advanced Sport Technology 2538-5259 10 2 2026 05 01 The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Enhancing Self-Efficacy and Intrinsic Motivation among Adolescent Athletes 1 12 4210 10.22098/jast.2025.17621.1423 EN Hamed Kheirollahi Meidani PhD student in Sports Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran Fatemeh Behrooz Damirchi Master of Sports Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. Masoud Kamali Master of Sports Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. Naser Rasoulzadeh Jedi Master of Sports Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran Reze Qabousi M.Sc. Student in Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran Journal Article 2025 06 07 Background: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a virtual reality intervention in enhancing self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation among adolescent Football players.<br />Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest and control group was employed. Twenty-four male football players (aged 13–18) were randomly assigned to either the experimental (VR) group or the control group (n = 12 per group). The VR intervention, based on the Nintendo Wii Fit platform, spanned eight weeks and included 24 sessions. Self-efficacy was assessed using the Sports Self-Efficacy Scale, and intrinsic motivation was measured with a localized version of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA.<br />Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in both self-efficacy (P = 0.003) and intrinsic motivation (P = 0.010) in the experimental group. A significant time × group interaction effect was found for intrinsic motivation (P = 0.001), with post-test scores in the VR group 17.51% higher than those of the control group.<br />Conclusions: The findings provide empirical validation for VR as a psychologically beneficial training modality in adolescent sport contexts. By fulfilling key psychological needs related to competence, autonomy, and engagement, VR can enhance motivational dynamics and perceived self-regulation in youth athletes. These results suggest that VR-based interventions, when grounded in psychological theory, offer a promising supplementary strategy for coaches, physical educators, and sport psychologists aiming to foster long-term psychological readiness and participation among adolescent athletes. https://jast.uma.ac.ir/article_4210_55fd1e398f4ce54d342f62a422074f4c.pdf