Competitive State Anxiety Research Articles

청소년 태권도 선수들의 평가염려 완벽주의가 경쟁상태불안에 미치는 영향

청소년 태권도 선수들의 평가염려 완벽주의가 경쟁상태불안에 미치는 영향

Effects of Relaxing and Arousing Music during Imagery Training on Dart-Throwing Performance, Physiological Arousal Indices, and Competitive State Anxiety.

Music that is carefully selected to match the requirements of activities and the characteristics of individuals has been shown to produce significant impacts on performance enhancement (Priest et al., 2004). There is also evidence that music can enhance imagery (Grocke and Wigram, 2007), although few studies have investigated the effects of music on imagery in the context of sport skills. In the present study, the effects of relaxing and arousing music during imagery on dart-throwing performance, physiological arousal indices, and competitive state anxiety, were investigated among 63 novice dart throwers. Participants had moderate-to-high imagery ability and were randomly assigned to unfamiliar relaxing music (URM), unfamiliar arousing music (UAM), or no music (NM) groups. Performance was assessed by 40 dart throws at a concentric circles dartboard before and after 12 imagery sessions over 4 weeks. Measures of galvanic skin response (GSR), peripheral temperature (PT), and heart rate (HR) were taken during imagery sessions 1 and 12, and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised (CSAI-2R) was administered prior to the pre- and post-intervention performance task. Dart-throwing gain scores were significantly higher for URM than for UAM and NM, with no significant difference between UAM and NM (URM = 37.24 ± 5.66, UAM = 17.57 ± 5.30, and NM = 13.19 ± 6.14, F2,62 = 5.03, p = 0.01, η2 = 0.14). GSR, PT, and HR reflected lower arousal for URM than for UAM or NM. Significant decreases in somatic anxiety were evident for URM and UAM but not NM. Significant decreases in cognitive anxiety were evident for URM and NM but not UAM. Significant increases in self-confidence were evident for URM but not UAM or NM. Performance improved in all three conditions but URM was associated with the largest performance gain, the lowest physiological indices of arousal, and the most positive CSAI-2R profiles. Listening to relaxing music during imagery may have benefits for performance in other fine motor skills.

ASSESSMENT OF AGGRESSION AND ANXIETY IN DIFFERENT LEVELS OF VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

The purpose of this study was to assess the aggression and anxiety in different levels of volleyball players. For the purpose of the study, two groups namely higher and lower performance group were created. The higher performance group was composed of those players who had participated in senior state championship. Whereas lower performance group was composed of those players, who had participated in open district championship but could not be selected to represent the district team. Sports aggression inventory & competitive state anxiety inventory-2, Questionnaire tests were selected to collect the data. The C.S.A.I. questionnaires were administered to each player prior to the competition. Whereas sports aggression questionnaires were distributed to the athletes for their response immediately after the competition. To find the significance difference between high and low performance volleyball players on aggression and anxiety, the ‘t’ ratio was applied. The level of significance was set at .05. The result revealed that the high performance volleyball players had significantly more aggressive attitude than those of low performance volleyball players. The result also revealed that there is no significant difference between high and low level performance ability volleyball players in the dimension of anxiety. Article visualizations:

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.

Effect of a group multimodal anxiety management programme on competitive state anxiety and self-confidence of amateur golfers

Competitive state anxiety can be detrimental to golf performance. The effect of a group multimodal anxiety management programme on the intensity and direction of anxiety and self-confidence among amateur golfers was investigated. The directionally modified Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 was completed 10 minutes before two competitive rounds of golf six weeks apart. Sixteen male participants (age: 20.37±1.08 years) were randomly divided into equal-sized experimental and control groups. The experimental group attended five 60-minute group sessions; three psycho-educational sessions on breathing control, muscle relaxation, imagery, positive self-talk and affirmations, stopping and reappraising negative thoughts were integrated into pre-competition and pre-shot routines during two sessions on the driving range and practice green. Repeated measures two-way ANOVA revealed a time X group interaction effect for cognitive anxiety direction (F 1,12 =5.740, p=0.034), with significant improvements among the experimental group (p=0.046, d=0.63). The control group perceived their self-confidence to be less facilitative towards their performance than before (p=0.050, d=0.85), whereas the perceptions of the experimental group did not change. The programme enhanced cognitive anxiety direction and prevented debilitative changes in self-confidence direction, thereby demonstrating its efficacy. These findings add to the existing literature on the positive effect of multimodal interventions on restructuring competitive anxiety. Keywords: Cognitive anxiety; Somatic anxiety; Self-confidence; Performance; Psycho-education

An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Management of Vocal Cord Dysfunction in an Elite Female Swimmer: A Case Study

Acute pulmonary disorders are commonplace within the athletic population, with exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), and vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) common diagnoses. VCD is a condition that causes the adduction of the vocal folds during inhalation, causing obstruction at the larynx and thereby a severely impaired sporting performance. VCD can be brought on by laryngeal irritants, emotional and psychological stress and asthma. The gold standard of treatment for VCD centres on an interdisciplinary approach from specialists that often include a respiratory consultant, speech and language therapist (SLT) and a psychologist. The present case study details the interdisciplinary approach to the treatment of an elite female swimmer with VCD with an intervention programme that lasted nine weeks, instigated by a local general practitioner (G.P.) who chose to engage a Sport Psychology Consultant (SPC) due to the sport-specific nature of the psychological stress experienced by the individual. The steps involved in the design of the sport psychology interventions are outlined and the relationship of those interventions to the work of the other specialists is discussed. The 9 week intervention programme was aimed at reducing perfectionist tendencies and competitive state anxiety using a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), goal-setting and imagery. Overall, the treatment programme was deemed a success as perfectionism and competitive state anxiety levels reduced over time along with the frequency of VCD occurrence. This case study demonstrates the breadth of roles that can be undertaken by a SPC and raises awareness of a complex respiratory disorder that is not yet fully understood.

Selective Antecedents of Competitive State Anxiety Dimensions During High Stakes in Elite Competition

This present study investigated the influence of competitive state anxiety antecedents on the intensity, direction, and frequency dimensions of elite athletes during high stakes in table tennis competition. Thirty-three (N= 33) purposively sampled elite table tennis players from Ghana completed the modified version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, incorporating the direction and frequency of intrusion subscales during breaks within competitive matches. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses on intensity dimension revealed that cognitive anxiety was significantly predicted by only the age factor while no predictors emerged for somatic anxiety. Self-confidence was significantly predicted by only competitive experience. For directional dimension, gender and age emerged as significant predictors of cognitive anxiety. However, none of the factors were found to significantly predict somatic anxiety and self-confidence. Regarding frequency dimension, cognitive anxiety was significantly related to competitive experience and age whereas no predictors emerged for somatic anxiety. Competitive experience factor was also significantly associated with self-confidence. Findings underscore the need to measure these anxiety dimensions concurrently because they are triggered by different antecedents. Psychological skills interventions should be idiosyncratic based, targeting more self-confidence management strategies in alleviating the effect of cognitive anxiety during competitive matches when demands are very high.

Examining the Pre- and Post-Competition State Anxiety Levels of Sportswomen of the Dutch Women's Volleyball National Team

This study was planned and conducted in order to examine the pre- and post-competition state anxiety levels of sportswomen of the Dutch women's volleyball national team. This descriptive study aimed at identifying the pre- and post-competition state anxiety levels of sportswomen of the Dutch women's volleyball national team is in the general survey model. The "Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2" (CSAI-2) consisting of 27 questions, developed by Martens, Burton, Vealey, Bump and Smith (1990) was applied to the 14 sportswomen voluntarily participating in the study. The anxiety inventory comprises the cognitive, somatic and self-confidence sub-factors. Each factor consists of 9 items. The Cronbach Alpha Internal Consistency coefficient was found as 0.91 in Cognitive Anxiety, 0.62 in Physical Anxiety, and 0.95 in Self-Confidence. According to the study conducted, comparing the pre- and post-competition anxiety levels of the sportswomen of the women's national volleyball team, a significant difference was found in cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self- confidence anxiety levels of p&lt;0,05. In anxiety levels according to years of practicing sports, a significant difference at a level of p&lt;0,05 was found in pre-competitive somatic anxiety.

Elite Athletes' In-event Competitive Anxiety Responses and Psychological Skills Usage under Differing Conditions.

Background and Purpose: Even though the assessment of competitive anxiety responses (intensity, interpretation, and frequency) using the time-to-event paradigm has gained much attention, literature on the account of these same experiences in-event and their corresponding psychological skills adopted under differing conditions is limited. This is a follow up investigation to establish the extent to which associated anxiety responses are stable or dynamic and whether this pattern could be related to reported psychological skills under low or high stressful conditions across gender.Methods: Twenty-three high level (N = 13 males and 10 females) Ghanaian Table Tennis players provided data through completion of modified versions of Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, incorporated with directional and frequency of intrusion scales and the Test of Performance Strategies inventory during breaks within competitive fixtures.Results: MANCOVAs (gender × stress condition) with follow-up analyses revealed no significant interactions and no main effect for gender but significant main effects were realized for all anxiety dimensions and psychological skills for only the second factor. Specifically, the intensity and frequency of cognitive and somatic state anxiety symptoms increased and were interpreted as debilitative under the high stress condition, although self-confidence and other array of psychological skills were highly displayed under the same stressful condition.Conclusion: Findings highlight the dynamic characteristics of in-event associated anxiety responses and ineffectiveness of deployed psychological skills regardless of gender. These perhaps show the exceptionality of affective experiences in an African setting, suggesting a culturally diversified approach to psychological skills application, if desirable effects are to be attained.

Análisis de las relaciones entre variables motivacionales y ansiedad en judocas competidores

El judo de alto rendimiento se encuentra en continua evolución, explorándose nuevas formas de enseñanza y entrenamiento, que faciliten conducir al judoca hacia el éxito.&#x0D; El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar las relaciones que se establecen entre los diferentes tipos de motivación autodeterminada, necesidades psicológicas básicas, ansiedad cognitiva, ansiedad somática y autoconfianza en judocas competidores.&#x0D; Se analizó una muestra de 124 judocas competidores, 36 mujeres y 88 hombres pertenecientes a 16 clubes de toda España, cuyas categorías iban desde infantil hasta senior, con edades comprendidas entre los 12 y los 37 años.&#x0D; Para llevar a cabo dicho estudio, se pasaron los cuestionarios de Behavioral Regulation in Sport Questionnaire, para medir el nivel de motivación autodeterminada; el Psychological Need Satisfaction in Exercise Scale, para medir la satisfacción de las necesidades psicológicas básicas y el Revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory, para medir el estado de ansiedad.&#x0D; Los resultados mostraron que la motivación intrínseca, correlacionó de forma positiva y significativa con la necesidad psicológica básica de competencia además de la autoconfianza en su dimensión intensidad. Por otro lado, la desmotivación, la regulación externa y la ansiedad somática en su dimensión intensidad, correlacionaron negativa y significativamente con la motivación intrínseca.&#x0D; Por consiguiente, los entrenadores tendrían que satisfacer las necesidades psicológicas básicas de los judocas, con el fin de provocar un aumento de las formas de motivación más autodeterminadas, pudiendo originar ello una mejora de la autoconfianza y una reducción de los niveles del estado de ansiedad.

Can psychological well-being scales and hormone levels be used to predict acute performance of anaerobic training tasks in elite female volleyball players?

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between pre-training psychological well-being assessment scales (General Health Questionnaire-28-GHQ-28, Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2-CSAI-2, Sport Competition Anxiety Test-SCAT, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-S-STAI-S, Oviedo Sleep Questionnaire-OSQ and Psychological Characteristics Related to Sport Performance-PCSP), and pre-training stress hormone concentrations (cortisol-C, total testosterone-TT, free testosterone-FT, adrenocorticotropic hormone-ACTH and testosterone/cortisol-T/C ratios), on acute neuromuscular performance (ANP) in female volleyballers. Forty elite female volleyballers (27±4yrs.; 178.3±8.5cm; 67.9±7.2kg) participated. Bivariate correlations were performed between psychological assessments and hormone levels with ANP. All psychological scales presented at least one significant (p<0.05) relationship or prediction of ANP. Contrastingly, among hormones, the only significant relationship was between TT/C ratio and Overhead Medicine Ball Throw (r=0.34; p<0.05). Therefore, our data shows that results of general and sport-specific psychological well-being scales prior to training are more consistently related to performance in elite female volleyballers than pre-training stress hormone concentrations.

An Examination of the Relationship between Team Cohesion and Individual Anxiety among Recreational Soccer Players

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between cohesiveness and competitive state anxiety and the contribution of cohesion to the prediction of competitive state anxiety among recreational soccer players. The research, which was conducted over two studies with recreational soccer players (n=47 in Study 1; n=88 in Study 2), revealed negative relationships between sub-dimensions of cohesion and cognitive and somatic state anxiety. Further, individual attraction to the group-task (ATG-T) contributed significantly to the prediction of state anxiety beyond the contribution of competitive trait anxiety. The findings suggest that recreational soccer participants with high ATG-T are likely to have low competitive state anxiety.

Interaction between Gender and Skill on Competitive State Anxiety Using the Time-to-Event Paradigm: What Roles Do Intensity, Direction, and Frequency Dimensions Play?

Background and purpose: The functional understanding and examination of competitive anxiety responses as temporal events that unfold as time-to-competition moves closer has emerged as a topical research area within the domains of sport psychology. However, little is known from an inclusive and interaction oriented perspective. Using the multidimensional anxiety theory as a framework, the present study examined the temporal patterning of competitive anxiety, focusing on the dimensions of intensity, direction, and frequency of intrusions in athletes across gender and skill level.Methods: Elite and semi-elite table tennis athletes from the Ghanaian league (N = 90) completed a modified version of Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) with the inclusion of the directional and frequency of intrusion scales at three temporal phases (7 days, 2 days, and 1 h) prior to a competitive fixture.Results: Multivariate Analyses of Variance repeated measures with follow-up analyses revealed significant interactions for between-subjects factors on all anxiety dimensions (intensity, direction, and frequency). Notably, elite (international) female athletes were less cognitively anxious, showed more facilitative interpretation toward somatic anxiety symptoms and experienced less frequency of somatic anxiety symptoms than their male counterparts. However, both elite groups displayed appreciable level of self-confidence. For time-to-event effects, both cognitive and somatic anxiety intensity fluctuated whereas self-confidence showed a steady rise as competition neared. Somatic anxiety debilitative interpretation slightly improved 1 h before competition whereas cognitive anxiety frequencies also increased progressively during the entire preparatory phase.Conclusion: Findings suggest a more dynamic image of elite athletes’ pre-competitive anxiety responses than suggested by former studies, potentially influenced by cultural differences. The use of psychological skills interventions that require effective structure, content, and timing in a composite manner is suggested.

Regulatory Fit

Sport behavior may be regulated through a desire to win (promotion) or a desire to avoid losing (prevention), which differentially impacts cognitive tasks. Performance facilitation may also stem from a match between an individual’s self-regulatory focus and her chronic regulatory strategy, possibly due to “feeling right”. This notion of regulatory fit may impact pre-performance anxiety and arousal which may impact sport performance. PURPOSE: To determine the impact of regulatory fit on anxiety, arousal, and performance of college soccer players. METHODS: Twenty-five female soccer players were randomly assigned to a regulatory match (M) or mismatch (MM) condition. Participants received a task-framing phrase in which their performance goal either matched (M) or mismatched (MM) their chronic regulatory strategy. Anxiety, measured by the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised (CSAI-2R) and arousal, measured by pre-ejection period (PEP), heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (e.g. high frequency variability (HF), and the square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD)) were determined pre- and post-manipulation. Performance, the number of successful penalty kicks out of 10, was measured post-manipulation. The impact of regulatory fit on performance and on anxiety and arousal variables were determined by ANOVA and RM ANOVA, respectively. RESULTS: There was no difference between M (3.0 + .95) and MM (2.5 + 1.8) on performance (p>0.05). Pre (32.6 + 4.8) to post (34.5 + 5.4) CSAI-2R for M was not different than MM pre (35.0 + 4.6) to post (35.4 + 6.3) (p>0.05). Arousal variables ln HF, HR, and ln RMSSD in M were not significantly different pre (6.2 + .99; 76.4 + 15.0 bpm; 3.6 + .54) to post (6.3 + .99; 75.1 + 17.5 bpm; 3.6 + .53) compared to MM pre (6.6 + 1.0; 75.3 + 12.3; 3.8 + .49) to post (6.9 + .85; 74.6 + 10.5; 4.0 + .36), respectively (p>0.05). There was an interaction effect for PEP (p<0.05). Post-hoc testing indicated M post (0.14 + 0.01 msec) was greater than pre (0.13 + 0.01 msec) (p<0.05) but MM did not change pre (0.15 + 0.02 msec) to post (0.15 + 0.02 msec) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: PEP is an indicator of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), thus regulatory fit may impact pre-performance arousal through SNS activation. Supported by a Hollis Grant, ASPiRE program, Ball State University.

CONFIDENCE, COGNITIVE AND SOMATIC ANXIETY AMONG ELITE AND NON-ELITE FUTSAL PLAYERS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SITUATIONAL FACTORS

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare confidence, cognitive and somatic anxiety among elite and non-elite futsal players and its relationship with situational factors. Material: 130 non-elite and 70 elite male futsal players participated in the study. Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 and situational factors Inventory were applied. Data was analyzed using one way ANOVA and product moment correlation. Results: Results showed there was significant difference between competitive state anxiety subscales (cognitive anxiety somatic anxiety & self-confidence) and situational factors among elite and non-elite futsal players but there was no significant correlations between situational factors subscales among elite and non-elite futsal players. Conclusion: Competitive state anxiety is part of sport competition and it seems elite athletes can manage and interpret anxiety well with respect to their experiences and psychological intervention and then consider anxiety and situational variables as facilitative factors for his or her competition.

The Use of Neuro-Linguistic Programming as an Educational-Therapeutic Programme: Two Case Studies

Introduction: Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is continuously used as one of thepsychological intervention in medicine, sport, and education settings. NLP through employing itstechniques and language patterns could make certain changes in connections between neurologicalprocesses and therefore, restructure individuals’ cognition and reform their behaviours. Thiscontributes to certain advantages in educational-therapeutic sessions concerning helping athletes withemotional hardship, resulting from physical injuries. Objective: To examine a tailored interventionof the NLP model adapted for educational-therapeutic purposes to reduce competitive state anxietyof two elite basketball players after their rehabilitation programme from physical injuries. Method:This study used a case study approach, and employed the NLP model’s collapsing anchoring,perceptual positions, and meta-model language patterns, to help both athletes to restructure theirdysfunctional thoughts and memories. The athletes experienced anxiety related negative thoughts andfelt emotionally difficult to perform in training and competition. Results: The intervention showedpromising strategies in helping the athletes to reduce their competitive state anxiety. Also, the resultsobtained from the interview sessions, and the quantitative analysis showed that the NLP interventionhad successfully helped the athletes to cope with dysfunctional thoughts and emotionally relatedanxiety. Conclusions: The NLP-based intervention, to some degree, helped the athletes to deal withdysfunctional thoughts of their past injury experiences, reducing their competitive state anxiety tocompete again in the upcoming competition.

O Emprego do Biofeedback como Estratégia de Manejo do Estresse e da Ansiedade em Atletas: um Ensaio Clínico

O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a eficácia do treinamento em biofeedback de variabilidade da frequência cardíaca na redução de sintomas de estresse e ansiedade em atletas. Participaram do estudo atletas de uma equipe de handebol de uma cidade do estado de São Paulo. O software de biofeedback utilizado foi o EmWave® Desktop PC e seus efeitos foram avaliados através dos instrumentos: Avaliação da Qualidade de Vida (WHOQOL – BREF), Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck (BAI), Inventário de Sintomas de Stress para Adultos de Lipp (ISSL) e Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (CSAI-2). O treinamento em biofeedback promoveu melhora na qualidade de vida e redução do estresse e ansiedade competitiva dos atletas, o que sugere sua eficácia como recurso terapêutico nesta população.

The precompetitive anxiety impacts immediately actual gymnastics’ performance or sustain during routine’s outcomes over the execution time

The present study attempted to test whether the strongest effect of precompetitive anxiety on consecutive Gymnastic’ performance can be observed only prior to performance or sustain during routine’s outcomes during the long-term delay condition. Sixteen female rhythmic gymnasts (age 13.93 ± 2.1 years; body mass 46.87 ± 6.9 kg; height 1.78 ± 0.06 m) competing at international level, voluntarily participated in this study. They have had an experience of at least 8 years and had previous experience in the execution of the clubs and rope’s routines. Before performing the experimental tasks, participants had to record the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 over the multidimensional constructs of cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self-confidence. A Timeout sanction, numbers of clubs and rope’s falls per gymnast and routine execution during training and competition situation were recorded. The finding of the present study showed that the score levels for cognitive and somatic anxiety were significantly higher for competition situation than for training situation, whereas our participants reported the same level of self-confidence during the two sessions. The results indicate as well that the timeout showed a significant difference between training situation and competition situation. Significant changes in the number of falls either between training situation or between competition situation were observed. Furthermore, the anxiety’s effect on the rope’ performance was greater than that one recorded during clubs routine. So that recognizing specific situational stimuli could activate spontaneously efficient behavioral patterns; then, using the mental training to control negative emotions could be fruitful for performance. Hence, reducing pre-competitive anxiety should be of paramount importance if coaches want to optimize their individual athlete’s performance.

Validation of the Tunisian Version of the French Version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised (CSAI-2R), Including Frequency and Direction Scales

The Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised (CSAI-2R), is one of the most frequently used instruments in the evaluation of situational anxiety in sports competition. Objectives: The objective of this study was to validate the Tunisian version based on the French version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised (CSAI-2R), including the direction and the frequency scales. Method: 418 athletes ranging in age from 14 to 34 years in different individual and team competitions, volunteered to participate in the study. Data were collected and analyzed for reliability and validity using the test-retest method, reliability, correlation analysis and confirmatory factor analyses. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS and the IBM AMOS version 21.0.0. Results: The Confirmatory factor analyzes showed acceptable adjustments for the 3-factor model of CSAI-2R. For the intensity model [X2=343.19; X2/df=3.40; CFI=0.92; TLI=0. 90; GFI =0.91; RMSEA=0.076; p-value<0.001]. for the direction model [X2=360.83; X2/df=3.57; CFI=0.93; TLI=0.92; GFI=0.90; RMSEA=0.079; p value<0.001]. And for the frequency model [X2 =140.31; X2/df=2.58; CFI=0.93; TLI=0.92; GFI =0.92; RMSEA=0.062; p-value<0.001]. And a good internal coherence of three scales was between 0.76 and 0.90. Conclusion: This study provides support for the reliability and validity of the Tunisian version based on the French version of CSAI-2R, including the direction and the frequency scales. Among others the Tunisian version has demonstrated robust psychometric properties and can be used in other investigation.

The effect of an imagery training intervention on self-confidence and anxiety in acrobatic gymnastics

Background: Acrobatics is a discipline within gymnastics which lacks empirical research in relation to psychological skills training. Due to the different mixes of gender, age and number of gymnasts working in each partnership, the psychological pressure for acrobats could be higher than gymnasts who train and compete on their own. Research conducted in other aesthetic sports have proposed imagery training for elevating self-confidence and controlling anxiety levels yet there is no evidence on the use of imagery training in acrobatic gymnastics. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an imagery intervention on acrobatic performance, self-confidence and anxiety in acrobatic gymnastics.Methods: Twenty-one acrobatic gymnasts (mean age=13.7 years) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 and the Sport Imagery Questionnaire prior to performing their competitive routine for baseline measures. Within their competitive partnerships, they were randomly-assigned to the control group (n=8) who continued with their physical training and the imagery training group(n=11) who completed 2 imagery scripts a week for 4 weeks. The same measures were taken post intervention.Results: Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to examine changes in acrobatic performance, levels of self-confidence and anxiety. The imagery intervention significantly increased acrobat’s self-confidence compared to the control (F₁ˏ₁₇= 14.18, p= .002), however; imagery did not significantly reduce cognitive anxiety (F₁ˏ₁₇= 1.96, p> .05, η²= .10) or somatic anxiety (F₁ˏ₁₇= .92, p> .05, η²= .35). The in-between group comparisons revealed no significant changes in acrobatic performance. There was a significant main effect of time in the intervention group for the targeted imagery functions- motivational general arousal imagery (F₁ˏ₁₇= 7.16, p= .02, η²= .30) and motivational general-mastery imagery (F₁ˏ₁₇=5.16, p= .04, η²= .23).Discussion: The current study was the first to explore the effects of an imagery training intervention in acrobatic gymnasts which sets a foundation for future research. Acrobatic gymnasts should adopt a 4 week imagery training programme in practice and competition in order to enhance their self-confidence, but not to reduce anxiety or improve performance scores. Further research is required to identify the effect of an increased duration imagery intervention in acrobatic gymnastics which follow a more intense and consistent programme.