Levels Of Competitive Anxiety Research Articles

A study on the impact of systematic desensitization training on competitive anxiety among Latin dance athletes.

In the domain of competitive events, Latin dance athletes have always suffered competitive anxiety, which is a prevalent and prevailing psychological facet, in pre-, intra-, and post-competitive engagements. Usually, the implementation of systematic desensitization training is an efficacious approach to reduce competitive anxiety levels in routine sports to fortify psychological resilience of athletes (like swimming, volleyball, and basketball). This study focuses on the effect of systematic desensitization training on competition anxiety in the training of Latin dancers to establish good mental ability and promote the competitive ability of athletes. The "Sports Competition Anxiety Test Questionnaire" was used to evaluate and classify the competitive anxiety levels of 150 Latin dance athletes. Then, the top 48 participants were selected (24 in the intervention cohort and 24 in the non-intervention cohort) as the study participants after stratifying anxiety score levels from the highest to the lowest. The intervention group was treated with an 8-week psychological intervention by employing systematic desensitization training techniques (encompassing imagery desensitization and in vivo desensitization). The anxiety levels of the subjects were quantified by employing the "Sport Competition Trait Anxiety Inventory" (CCTAI-C) and the "Competitive State Anxiety Inventory" (CSAI-2) to scrutinize the efficacy of systematic desensitization training in regulating competitive anxiety levels among Latin dance athletes. After applying systematic desensitization training, the intervention group displayed a notable reduction in sport cognitive trait anxiety. Specifically, there was a decrease of 29.37% in social evaluation anxiety, 20.31% in competition preparation anxiety, 16.98% in performance anxiety, 25.16% in failure anxiety, 34.47% in opponent's ability anxiety, and 25.16% in injury anxiety. Moreover, for competitive state anxiety, cognitive state anxiety and somatic state anxiety decreased by 39.19 and 21.43%. The state self-confidence increased by 14.42%. The result indicated that systematic desensitization training not only mitigates anxiety but also positively intervenes in sports-related anxiety. Moreover, systematic desensitization training can significantly diminish competitive anxiety among Latin dance athletes to bolster confidence during competitions. Integrating desensitization training into the regular regimen of Latin dance practice has the potential to fortify dancers' psychological resilience against anxiety.

Olympism in School and Competitive Anxiety: Its Influence on Participants and Their Perceptions

Abstract Anxiety is one of the most widespread mental health disorders worldwide. It is prevalent throughout the life cycle and appears in multiple contexts, such as sports.In line with the idea of sport as a means of promoting integral health, the Andalusian Olympic Foundation promotes Olympic values through the “Olympism in School” programme. This programme, developed in two phases – theoretical and practical (including a “Mini Olympics”) – aims to improve the psychological development of participants through sporting competition. In order to demonstrate whether the management of factors such as competitive anxiety was achieved through this programme, 153 children aged 10-13 completed a socio-demographic data questionnaire and the SAS-2 questionnaire after participating in sporting events. The results showed that the participants endured intermediate levels of competitive anxiety (with greater weight given to the worry factor) and that the anxiety was greater in children not used to competition or who did not usually enjoy it. These findings indicate that competition is a factor related to anxiety in children and that strategies for managing the impact of the competitive context are necessary to enable enjoyment and healthy participation.

Gender Differences in Competitive Anxiety among University-Level Handball Players in Uttar Pradesh: A Comparative Study

Sports performance can be greatly impacted by a critical component, which is competitive anxiety. Different elements, such as gender, can influence the psychological stress that athletes face during tournaments. To create efficient techniques to control anxiousness and enhance function, it is imperative to comprehend these distinctions. The performance of athletes is correlated with competitive anxiety. Because of this, it's critical to keep it at its best. This study looks into how university-level handball players in Uttar Pradesh, India, differ in terms of their competitive anxiety based on their gender. This study uses the Sinha's Comprehensive Anxiety Test by A.K.P. Sinha and L.N.K. Sinha (1995).to investigate gender variations in competitive anxiety among university-level handball players in Uttar Pradesh. A total of 200 players were evaluated, of which 100 were men and 100 were women. The mean Sinha’s comprehensive anxiety test scores of male and female players did not differ statistically, suggesting that the sample's genders experienced comparable levels of competitive anxiety. According to these results, gender may not have a major impact on competitive anxiety in this particular sporting setting.

Competition Anxiety in Combat Sports and the Importance of Mental Toughness.

Combat sports require participants to engage in potentially dangerous forms of contact-based competition. Pressure to succeed, coupled with the risk of severe injury can induce significant levels of anxiety, which if uncontrolled, can negatively impact performance and possibly promote unsporting conduct. The present study examined competitive anxiety levels of combat sports athletes and determined whether self-reported scores were associated with mental toughness and Sportspersonship attitudes. A cross-sectional survey design was used whereby participants (N = 194) completed a battery of questionnaires measuring competitive combat sport experiences, demographic details, Sportspersonship traits (compliance towards rules, respect for opponents, and game perspective), and competition anxiety (somatic, cognitive, and self-confidence; reported retrospectively). Results suggest that mentally tough athletes experience lower levels of cognitive and somatic anxiety, and higher self-confidence, prior to competitions. Findings also found that athletes endorsing more altruistic and respectful attitudes in sport (Sportspersonship) reported higher levels of competition anxiety. The findings demonstrate that mental toughness is allied to positive attributes and could potentially be operationalized to improve both the retention and performance of combat sports athletes. Thus, the authors advocate the use of mental toughness coaching interventions within combat sports.

Pandemic Impacts on Athlete Competitive Anxiety and Its Relationship with Sex, Competitive Level and Emotional Self-Control: A Cohort Study before and after COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a great emotional impact on the general population, with specific consequences in the field of sport and physical activity. The present study was conducted to meet two objectives: (1) to investigate if the pandemic had an impact on competitive anxiety and if the sex and competitive level played a mediating role, and (2) to investigate if the relationship between emotional self-control and anxiety was affected by the pandemic. An amount of 608 Spanish athletes participated, divided into two cohorts, before and after the pandemic. Measurements of competitive anxiety and emotional self-control were made at both time points, which were processed by combining analysis of variance and regression models. Differences were found in competitive anxiety before and after COVID-19, with athlete’s competitive level acting as a mediating variable. For high-level athletes, there was an increase in anxiety, while for lower-level athletes, there was a decrease in anxiety. The pandemic seems to have led to higher levels of anxiety in elite athletes, compared to amateur athletes. There was no interaction between the sex of the participants and the cohort. Emotional self-control remained a significant predictor of low competitive anxiety levels.

Comparison of Self-Efficacy, Competitive Anxiety and Psychological Toughness in Athlete and Non-Athlete Students

The aim of this research is to examine the self-efficacy, competitive anxiety and psychological toughness of the students by taking into account the sportsmanship variable. The data used in the study were obtained from 200 East Azerbaijan Province Islamic Azad University students (100 female athletes, 100 female non-athletes) who constituted the study group on the basis of volunteerism on the basis of convenience sampling method. In this research, which was conducted in the survey model, data were obtained through Sherer and Maddux's (1990) Self-Efficacy Scale, Kiyamarsi (1997) Psychological Toughness Scale and Martens et al.'s (1990) Competitive Anxiety Scale. In the findings, it was determined that self-efficacy and psychological power variables differed significantly as a result of the comparison of athlete and non-athlete students. In addition, according to the results of the research, it was determined that athlete students had higher levels of psychological power and self-efficacy compared to non-athlete students. It was determined that competitive anxiety levels did not differ significantly between athlete and non-athlete students.

Perceived Motivational Climate Determines Self-Confidence and Precompetitive Anxiety in Young Soccer Players: Analysis by Gender

The main objective of this study was to analyze whether the perception of the motivational climate in young soccer players determines the level of competitive anxiety and self-confidence. In addition, the results were explored according to gender, in order to observe if there were differences between the female and male categories. A total of 113 cadet and youth soccer players from six soccer teams in the provinces of Malaga and Granada, aged between 14 and 19 years, who competed in regional leagues, participated in the study. Of these, 50 were female and 63 were male. The Competitive Sport Anxiety (CSAI-2), Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire-2 (PMCSQ-2), and Self-Confidence in Sport Competition Questionnaire (CACD) were used to collect the information. Correlation, linear regression and cluster analyses were performed. The data analyses carried out affirmed the relationship between the study variables, observing that the perception of ego climate was positively related to cognitive anxiety (p < 0.05) and insecurity (p < 0.01), and inversely to self-confidence (p < 0.05). By gender, boys showed a higher perception of an ego-oriented (p < 0.001) and lower perception of a task-oriented climate (p < 0.05) than girls. However, girls showed a greater intensity in the relationships related to ego climate and lower scores in self-confidence (p < 0.01), as well as higher scores in insecurity (p < 0.001). The results have shown positive relationships between self-confidence and a task-oriented climate, as well as negative ones with an ego-oriented climate. It is also observed that ego orientation generates more insecurity and anxiety, which is more evident in girls.

Climbing – between athletic performance and psychological performance

" The aim of this research is to investigate different aspects of the functioning of the psychological system of performance climbers in Romania. We look for correlations between the concepts of competitive anxiety, self-esteem, motivation, willingness to take sports risks and age, sport experience and competitive experience, performance level. We also try to find out if the first contacts with the climbing world resulted in a favouring of the environment in which the athlete chooses his/her performance goals. Specifically, we aim to divide climbers into two categories, those with a passion for panel climbing (indoor) and those with a passion for rock climbing (outdoor). We did not distinguish between the bouldering challenge and the difficult challenge. In addition, we want to analyse the level of competitive anxiety of athletes in national climbing in order to objectify again the idea that the coach and sport psychologist must be able to identify, in the crucial moments before and during the competition, which athletes need motivation, which ones are anxious, which ones feel good and which ones can be left alone. We can classify athletes who need relaxation, activation or mindfulness sessions. Objectives: • Identifying the performance level of Romanian climbing athletes at the moment; • Highlighting the motivational dimensions of performance climbers in relation to the practice of the sport; • Investigating the passion for indoor versus outdoor climbing, with implications on the level of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and self-esteem; • Knowing the level of competitive anxiety, with a focus on the fine delineation between being debilitating or facilitating for athletes. Methodology: The research method used was the application of instruments (psychological tests and an opinion questionnaire). The test was administered between January-March 2020, online via google docs, on 28 performance climbers, aged between 13 and 48 years, female and male, juniors and seniors. Results: The climber's personality shines through on the rock (outdoors), where the desirability, and if it exists, is not a social one, but is a genuine desire to push your own limits, to face difficult challenges, to feel danger, to develop your wits and to know where to stop. These concepts correspond entirely to intrinsic motivation and a more mature personality, both in social and sporting terms, from this maturity a fundamental dimension of which is the match between real possibilities and aspirations. Conclusion: Rock climbing involves bringing out the authentic self when you are with yourself, compared to a sports competition held at the panel that highlights a socially constructed self, adapted to the fans, an image and smiles to support your image in the sporting world. In other words, avid rock athletes will train at the panel with low anxiety looking at these workouts only as technical drills for the future challenges they will face at the cliff. They are less reliant on extrinsic motivation when conducting their training on the panel, keeping it somewhere in the background for what they consider their own goals. For those for whom the stakes are to increase the difficulty of their rock routes, those will be the situations where they will have higher anxiety and a higher need to rely on extrinsic motivation as well until they reach the maturity where performance is staked by intrinsic determination"

Validation of Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) among Polish athletes and the relationship between anxiety and goal orientation in sport

This study aims to assess the validity and reliability of the Polish version of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2, as well as to determine the relationship between anxiety and goal orientation among high-performance and recreational athletes. A total of 519 athletes aged M = 22.83 (SD = 4.92) participated in the study, including 266 males and 253 females. 242 athletes trained professionally and 277 recreationally. The Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) was used to assess anxiety levels, while the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ) and the Perception of Success Questionnaire (POSQ) enabled to assess athletes’ goal orientation. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit of the model to the data for the Polish version of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (CFI = 0.945, RMSEA = 0.072). The models obtained during analysis of high-performance and recreational athletes, women and men, also presented a satisfactory fit to the data (CFI 0.932–0.946). The configural, metric, scalar and strict measurement invariances were demonstrated for high-performance and recreational athletes as well as among women and men. High internal consistency coefficients (alpha 0.81–0.91) and a high test–retest reliability indexes were reported (ICC 0.74–0.87). Women presented higher level of competitive anxiety than men. A positive relationship between competitive anxiety and athletes’ ego orientation was also presented. This relationship concerned particularly women practicing sport recreationally.

Differences in online creative performance of single and paired players in cooperative and competitive task situations

Co-creativity has recently received increasing attention. However, few empirical studies explore individuals’ creative performance in a group, and fewer have approached creative ideation in different task situations. This study recruited 156 participants to complete creativity tests on an online creativity task platform. Participants were randomly assigned to either cooperative or competitive task situations. Their performance was analyzed using two creativity tests: the Alternative Uses Test (AUT) and Chinese Radical Remote Associates Test (CRRAT). Participants completed tasks alone (i.e., in single player mode) and in a cooperative or competitive situation (i.e., in paired-player mode). The results revealed that participants in the competitive task situation showed higher levels of competitive anxiety. Moreover, their AUT and CRRAT performances in paired-player mode were better than those in single player mode. In the cooperative task situation, participants’ CRRAT performance was significantly better than in the competitive task situation. This study had two main findings. First, it strengthens the understanding of how group work enhances individual online creative performance. Second, it distinguishes the influences of cooperative or competitive task situations on different creative performance. This study revealed the differences in creative performance in distinct task situations.

A Moderated Mediation Model of Wellbeing and Competitive Anxiety in Male Marathon Runners.

Running marathons is an increasingly popular activity with an ever-increasing number of events and participants. Many participants declare that they pursue a variety of goals by running, namely, the maintenance of good health, the development of strength and improvement of fitness, the management of emotions, and the achievement of resilience and psychological wellbeing (PWB). The research has examined marathon running, like many other sports, and has studied various factors that reduce athletic performance, such as the experience of anxiety, and that enhance such performance, such as an increase in general wellbeing. This article reports the results of a study on the experience of competitive anxiety among 238 male marathon runners who participated in Seville’s (Spain) 26th Marathon race on February 23, 2020, and investigates the relationship between anxiety and key dimensions of wellbeing as measured by the Spanish-adapted 20-item PWB Scale. We hypothesized that participating athletes who rated high on the dimensions of PWB would experience lower levels of competitive anxiety with respect to this race. We also proposed that PWB would function as a mediating factor with respect to the experience of anxiety. The results show, as hypothesized, that marathon running enhances wellbeing and reduces anxiety. The data showed significant negative correlations between four of five wellbeing dimensions and the three types of anxiety measured, namely, somatic anxiety, worry, and concentration-impairing anxiety. Other findings supported our hypothesis that wellbeing, as measured, functions as a mediating factor for the moderation of competitive anxiety. Generalization of these findings is limited by the fact that the low number of female participants recruited did not permit valid statistical analyses in this respect. It is known that both anxiety and wellbeing are subjects to variation by gender. The future inclusion of male and female subjects in equivalent studies will undoubtedly add valuable information concerning the dynamics of anxiety and wellbeing. The implications of these findings and the limitations of the study will be discussed.

Effects of Impulsivity on Competitive Anxiety in Female Athletes: The Mediating Role of Mindfulness Trait.

It has been demonstrated that athletes in competitive sports suffer from high levels of competitive anxiety, especially in the case of females. In this sense, it is necessary to identify possible risk and protective factors of those athletes in this collective who suffer from this type of anxiety. However, few studies analyze the relationship between Physical Activity (PA) and anxiety, identifying the possible mediation effect of trait variables such as impulsivity and mindfulness in female athletes. Hence, the aims of this study were: to determine differences between PA levels with anxiety, mindfulness, and impulsiveness; to identify the predictive value of sociodemographic factors and physical activity, impulsivity, and mindfulness on anxiety factors; and to analyze the possible mediating effects of mindfulness on the relationship between impulsivity and anxiety. A total of 242 female athletes underwent an assessment of physical activity, anxiety, mindfulness traits, and impulsivity using validated questionnaires. Data were analyzed according to (1) individual or collective sport, and (2) PA levels according to energy expended (METs min/day). Participants were grouped by light, moderate, and vigorous PA levels. There were 30.5% elite athletes and 73.2% collective sports athletes. Mean age was 22.1 years and mean light, moderate, and vigorous PA were 86.1 ± 136.2, 114.4 ± 159.8, and 370.1 ± 336.3 METs min/day, respectively. Those athletes performing vigorous PA exhibited lower levels of impulsiveness and higher mindfulness traits. As expected, the mindfulness trait was a mediating factor in the relationship between impulsiveness and each factor of competitive anxiety (cognitive, somatic, and self-efficacy). Female athletes could suffer competitive anxiety, especially those who present higher levels of impulsivity. However, higher levels of mindfulness traits seem to be a protective factor in the effects of impulsivity on anxiety in this population and have demonstrated to be significant mediators in this association. Further studies are needed with other female athletes to replicate these results and to determine the specific protective mechanisms of mindfulness traits in preventing competitive anxiety.

Comparison of Sport Competitive Anxiety Levels of Flemish athletes with and without intellectual disability.

High anxiety levels are common in people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and anxiety can affect sport performance, but sport competitive anxiety profiles in athletes with ID are unknown. A total of 303 athletes; 116 with ID (33% female, M age=22.64, SD=3.94), and 187 without ID (54% female, M age=21.81, SD=3.23), completed the modified questionnaire Sport Anxiety Scale-2-FLemish-ID (SAS-2-FL-ID). The SAS-2-FL-ID was a valid tool to use in a population of athletes with ID. They had higher trait anxiety (9.36±2.62) than peers without ID (7.58±2.44), F=26.95, p<.001. With respect to sport anxiety, they only scored higher on the "concentration disruption" subscale. Their overall level of competitive anxiety across all subscales (24.14±7.73) was significantly lower compared to athletes without ID (26.51±7.49), F=27.10, p<.001. On the sporting field, athletes with ID worry less and feel less somatic anxiety compared to athletes without ID.

The Effect of Competitive Anxiety on the Injury Level of Student-Athletes of Karadeniz Technical University

Psychological factors have been significantly confirmed in athletic performance, sports injury prevention, sports rehabilitation, and as an effective means of managing stress and anxiety in competitions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of competitive anxiety on the injury level of student-athletes of Karadeniz Technical University.The method of this research is descriptive and correlational. The statistical population includes all athletes of Karadeniz Technical University, which are equal to 320 people. To determine the sample size, Cochran’s sample size estimation formula was used and the number of samples was 175, the gender random sampling method selected. First, to report sports injuries to describe the extent of injuries in the limbs (upper limbs, lower limbs, and trunk) and different parts of the body (joints, muscles, and bones), the report form of sports injuries was used and SCAT questionnaire was used to measure competitive anxiety. We analyzed data using SPSS software. We used regression because of the normality of the data in competitive anxiety tests and the occurrence of sports injuries.The research findings show that the average competitive anxiety of male athletes is 14.11 and the competitive anxiety of female athletes is 14.49. Competitive anxiety also has a significant positive effect on sports injury. The beta coefficient also shows that competitive anxiety predicts 0.33 changes in sports injury.Therefore, it can be said that as the level of competitive anxiety of athletic students increases, so does their level of injury, and to control sports injuries, mental skills should be increased and we should control the competitive anxiety of athletes.

Competitive Anxiety in Young Basketball Players from the Real Madrid Foundation

Competition during the sports training process should aid young athletes’ overall development. The aim of this study was to ascertain the levels of competitive anxiety in athletes who practice basketball at the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF)’s Social-Sports Schools, and to analyze whether any differences exist in regard to anxiety in the various subscales that take into account gender, participation in the RMF’s internal competitions, and basketball modalities (mini basketball/basketball). The study sample consisted of 320 players (224 boys and 96 girls) belonging to the following different age groups: 8–9-year-olds, 10–11-year-olds, 12–13-year-olds, and 14–15-year-olds (M = 10.54; SD = 1.92). The Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) was used in the version translated and validated in Spanish. It was found that the athletes displayed low levels of competitive anxiety in all three subscales. No significant differences were observed between the genders, nor between basketball modalities (mini basketball/basketball). Finally, a positive correlation was observed between the various subscales.

Pressing Crowd Noise Impairs the Ability of Anxious Basketball Referees to Discriminate Fouls.

The decision-making processes of referees in sports are affected by many factors, including the pressure of spectators. While the home/visitor bias has been previously investigated, the role of crowd noise has been less studied. In the present study, we investigated how the crowd noise (calm vs. pressing) influence the decisions of basketball referees, when examining videos of potential fouls. In doing so, we also considered the level of competitive anxiety of referees (low vs. high anxiety), as factor potentially interacting with the pressure exerted by the spectators. A 2 × 2 ANOVA (Crowd noise x Anxiety) revealed a significant interaction [F(1,28) = 7.33; p < 0.05; = 0.21; power = 0.74], with the highly anxious referees showing poorer performances in the pressing crowd condition [t(14) = 2.24; p < 0.05; d = 0.64]. The results indicate that the crowd noise does not seem to affect the referees' decisions, unless we consider the anxiety. The present findings suggest that the decisions of referees with high anxiety might be more easily influenced by external factors like crowd noise. Based on these results, referees' federations should consider the possibility to develop training protocols dedicated to highly anxious referees, to avoid their decisions from being biased by spectators' pressure.

The influence of intraoral devices in competitive anxiety levels of golf athletes – a pilot study

Introduction: A removable intraoral device is often manufactured in hard acrylic that is placed over the incisal and occlusal surfaces of the teeth [1]. Currently the state of competitive anxiety is mostly observed as a specific situation constructed multidimensionally with a component both somatic and cognitive being that this situation affects the motor and cognitive performance of the athletes during the competition [2]. This study aimed to analyze the changes in the state of anxiety with the use of intraoral devices in Golf athletes. Materials and methods: After study approval by the Ethic Commission of the Cooperativa de ensino Egas Moniz, athletes from the Centro Nacional de Formação de Golfe do Jamor (CNFGJ) were invited to participate in this study. Following the informed consent a Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorder was applied. Inclusion criteria: Athletes of both genders who have signed informed consent with handicap <20 or professional. Exclusion criteria: Patients With TMD; Kennedy-Applegate Class I or II. In order to ensure anonymization all data were coded. Individualized intraoral devices (IOD) were developed for each athlete. Athletes held a 9-hole tournament with two phases: one phase without and another with the use of the IOD. To analyze the stress levels, it was requested the completion of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-II. Linear mixed effect models were used to evaluate the effect of the use the intraoral device, evaluation moment and interaction between them and the anxiety levels. Significance of these effects was assessed through the analysis of variance of type III with Kenward-Roger approximation for degrees of freedom. Results: The sample was composed of 8 athletes, with an average age of 27.3 (±7,32) years. The model developed to evaluate the effect of the IOD, evaluation season and their interaction on the anxiety state showed not to be significantly different from the null model (χ2 (3) = 7.5918, p < 0.055). Discussion and conclusion: Statistically the use of IOD did not change in the subjective levels of anxiety, however the results need to be supported by larger and more significant samples

The relationship of sport experience and the effect of competitive anxiety during the match for junior handball player students

The main aim of the current study were to find out the effect of competitive anxiety during the match for junior handball player students, and to investigate the relationship between the training experience of students and the level of competitive anxiety during the match for junior handball player students in youth centers of Duhok province in Iraq. A total number of participants was 128 junior handball players divided into 8 youth centers (Akre, Amedi, Bardarash, Domiz, Duhok, Shexan, Sumel and Zaxo) each center contain 16 players. The scale of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 was used to collect the data. The one way ANOVA, Test Least Significant Difference to find out the effect of competitive anxiety during the match for junior handball player students, and the correlation was conducted to find the relationship between the competitive anxiety and the training experience. The results showed that there is a significant differences between junior handball player students in the level of competitive anxiety for the youth centers (p < 0.00), and there is a negative significant correlation between the training experience and the level of competitive anxiety (r = − 0.423, p = 0.00). This study would show useful information about the effect of competitive anxiety and training experience for junior handball player students.

Acupuncture decreases competitive anxiety prior to a competition in young athletes: A randomized controlled trial study

IntroductionAlthough a certain level of competitive anxiety may increase performance, many athletes with anxiety experience uncontrolled negative feelings and cognition that in turn can have overwhelming effects on their performance.ObjectivesIndeed, we aimed to assess the effect of the acupuncture on competitive anxiety in a sample of young football players using physiological biomarkers and subjective anxiety measures.MethodsWe aimed to assess the effect of acupuncture on competitive anxiety of the adolescent football players prior to the competition using psychological and physiological markers. A total of 30 athletes were randomly and equally allocated to either acupuncture or sham control group.ResultsThe results of t-test on posttest scores showed that acupuncture had a significant effect on cognitive anxiety (P = 0.001) and somatic anxiety (P &lt; 0.001) but not self-confidence (P &gt; 0.05). Furthermore, the results showed that acupuncture significantly decreased the skin conductance in acupuncture group compared to sham group (P = 0.006) (P &lt; 0.001).ConclusionsIn conclusion, the results suggested that acupuncture have the capacity to decrease cognitive and somatic anxiety prior to competition in adolescent athletes while this was accompanied by significant physiological changes.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Acupuncture decreases competitive anxiety prior to a competition in young athletes: a randomized controlled trial pilot study.

Background Although a certain level of competitive anxiety may increase performance, many athletes with anxiety experience uncontrolled negative feelings and cognition that in turn can have overwhelming effects on their performance. Methods We aimed to assess the effect of acupuncture on competitive anxiety of the adolescent football players prior to the competition using psychological and physiological markers. A total of 30 athletes were randomly and equally allocated to either acupuncture or sham control group. Results The results of t-test on posttest scores showed that acupuncture had a significant effect on cognitive anxiety (p=0.001) and somatic anxiety (p<0.001) but not self-confidence (p>0.05). Furthermore, the results showed that acupuncture significantly decreased the skin conductance in acupuncture group compared to sham group (p=0.006) (p<0.001). Conclusions In conclusion, the results suggested that acupuncture has the capacity to decrease cognitive and somatic anxiety prior to competition in adolescent athletes while this was accompanied by significant physiological changes.