Anxiety and performance in track and field athletes: A comparison of the inverted-U hypothesis with zone of optimal function theory

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The relationship between anxiety and sport performance was explored by comparing the efficacy of task based and individualized variants of the inverted-U hypothesis with the Zone of Optimal Function (ZOF) theory. State anxiety (STAI) was measured in 68 college varsity track and field athletes 1 h prior to competition in three meets. ZOF or inverted-U criteria were used to identify cases when athletes possessed optimal precompetition anxiety. For ZOF, optimal ranges were based upon each athlete's recollection of anxiety associated with best past performance. For inverted-U, optimal anxiety was determined via: (I) published, optimal anxiety ranges of various sporting events, (II) the median precompetition anxiety value of each subject for the three meets. Subjects were then grouped as being either inside or outside the optimal anxiety range using each of these criteria. Attained performance values of the athletes were transformed using several standards. For ZOF, the mean performance of the inside group was better ( P < 0.05) than the outside group when performance was transformed using national college standards. The difference neared significance ( P < 0.06) using international standards. For either variant of inverted-U, no differences in performance were found between inside or outside groups. In summary, the findings support ZOF theory. The relationship between anxiety and sport performance is best explained by individual differences in optimal precompetition anxiety which vary considerably among athletes.