Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine moderating effects of self-confidence and sport self-efficacy on the relationship between competitive anxiety and sport performance in a sample of Iranian athletes. A total of 246 volunteer athletes (149 males, 97 females) were included in this study. All participants were asked to complete Multidimensional Competitive Anxiety Questionnaire and Sport Self-Efficacy Scale. To measure the athletes’ sport performance, their coaches were asked to complete the Sport Achevement Scale. The results revealed that self-confidence and sport self-efficacy moderated the relationship between competitive anxiety and sport performance. Analysis of the data revealed that moderating effects of self-confidence for the association of cognitive and somatic dimensions of competitive anxiety with sport performance were partial. On the other hand, the moderating effects of sport self-efficacy for the association of cognitive and somatic dimensions of competitive anxiety with sport performance were full.
Highlights
Competitive anxiety and its effect on the sport performance is one of the important subjects of sport psychology (Hanton, Neil, & Mellalieu, 2008; Mellalieu, Hanton, & Fletcher, 2006)
These results reveal that self-confidence could affect the relationship between competitive anxiety and sport performance partially
The present study was undertaken to gain a better insight into the relationship between competitive anxiety and sport performance in a sample of Iranian athletes
Summary
Competitive anxiety and its effect on the sport performance is one of the important subjects of sport psychology (Hanton, Neil, & Mellalieu, 2008; Mellalieu, Hanton, & Fletcher, 2006). Jones (1995) proposed a debilitative and facilitative anxiety model based on Carver and Scheier’s (1988) control-process theory of stress and coping. Interpretation of anxiety symptoms is determined based on individuals’ cognitive appraisal of ability to control environment and themselves (Jones, 1995; Jones & Hanton, 2001). In this direction and based on cognitive activation theory of stress, Ursin and Eriksen (2004) believe that positive coping expectancy reduces likelihood of sport anxiety. Lazarus (1999, 2000) had confirmed the moderating role of coping strategies on the relationship between emotions and stressful situations like sport competitions
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