Effects of Coaching Behaviors and Differences in Sport Injury Anxiety Among Cheerleaders

Abstract

The athleticism required in cheerleading has increased dramatically, yet the amount of training cheerleading coaches receive varies considerably. With the skill complexity increasing, one can speculate that sport injury anxiety would be present. Sport injury anxiety is a sport-specific anxiety that focuses on athletes’ apprehensions about sustaining an injury while participating in their sport. Specifically, a cheerleader’s perception of their coach’s behavior may influence their sport injury anxiety. The current study examined coaching behavior as a predictor of sport injury anxiety as well as differences in sport injury anxiety between sex, stunt position, and team type in cheerleaders. Participants included all-girl and coed collegiate teams and all-star teams. Participants completed an online survey consisting of the Leadership Scale for Sport and the Sport Injury Anxiety Scale. Results indicated the coach’s level of training and instruction was able to predict anxiety related to experiencing pain. Female cheerleaders had higher levels of anxiety related to being perceived as weak, experiencing pain, and having an impaired self-image compared to males. All-girl collegiate members had higher levels of anxiety related to losing athleticism, being perceived as weak, and experiencing pain. Coaches should be educated to help reduce sport injury anxiety especially in female cheerleaders.