The effect of psychological skills training on competitive state anxiety in collegiate swimmers
Year: 2008
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: The present study examined the effects of psychological skills training on competitive state anxiety, as measured by the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2). Participants were 60 swimmers from an intercollegiate Division III team who were randomly assigned to a control, goal setting, imagery, or relaxation group. One hour prior to the first competition of the season, participants completed the CSAI-2. Over the following 5 weeks, participants engaged in 10 sessions of psychological skills training. A control group received no training. All participants completed the CSAI-2 again, one hour prior to competition in a final swim meet. It was hypothesized that participants engaging in psychological skills training would report lower levels of cognitive and somatic anxiety and show higher levels of self-confidence than the control group. Also, it was hypothesized that participants engaging in imagery training would report lower levels of anxiety and show higher levels of self-confidence than all other groups. Results revealed that participants in the imagery group decreased cognitive and somatic anxiety, and increased self-confidence consistently more than any other condition from the first competition to the final competition.
Author: Shea H. Davisson
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2801733728