Telic-Paratelic Dominance and Heart Rate Variability in Athletes Engaged in Power and Endurance Training.

The current study aimed to evaluate the telic-paratelic tendency and heart rate variability in athlete participants from different sports activities. We assigned 117 healthy participants ( age = 20, = 3 years) into three groups according to their training activity: power-trained (PT; n=43), endurance-trained (ET; n=36), and healthy untrained individuals (n=38). We assessed their telic-paratelic tendencies with the validated Telic Dominance Scale and their autonomic nervous system activity with heart rate variability (HRV) analyses. Our findings revealed no significant differences in the telic-paratelic tendencies between ET and PT groups. However, significant differences were observed between athletes and untrained individuals ( = 0.001). Indeed, compared to untrained participants, ET and PT athletes had a greater telic tendency (both = 0.001), were more focused on planning orientation (ET: = 0.003; PT: =0.001), and less often avoided arousal or activation (For ET 31% and for PT 26% of participants). The paratelic tendency was more important in untrained individuals, with most of these participants lacking in seriousmindedness and planning. In addition, we found higher HRV in paratelic ET athletes (SDNN = 0.050, LF = 0.022, and LF/HF = 0.031) compared to their telic peers. our results suggest that sport activity did not influence the telic-paratelic tendency. Nevertheless, this tendency differentiates trained from untrained participants. HRV was higher among paratelic ET athletes, potentially reflecting less stress and more training adaptability in these athletes.