2017, Vol. 4, Issue 6, Part D
Anxiety among inter-university athletes
Author(s): Naresh Kumar
Abstract:The psychological factors significantly impact the athletic performance of sportspersons, with anxiety emerging as a crucial variable influencing the level of achievement. Anxiety plays a pivotal role in determining an athlete's performance potential. The current study aimed to explore this relationship among national-level track and field athletes. The research was conducted with a sample of 286 athletes who participated in the 63rd Inter-University Athletic Championship held at Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, from January 16th to 21st, 2003. The participants included 88 male sprinters, 32 jumpers, and 30 throwers, alongside 82 female sprinters, 24 jumpers, and 30 throwers. The subjects ranged in age from 18 to 25 years. To gather data, "Sinha's Comprehensive Anxiety Test (1995) [5]" was employed to measure State and Trait anxiety, while "Marten's Inventory (1977)" was utilized to assess sports competition anxiety. The findings revealed notable differences among the groups. Among male athletes, throwers exhibited significantly higher levels of State and Trait Anxiety compared to sprinters. Conversely, sprinters displayed higher levels of sports competition anxiety than jumpers. Male throwers also demonstrated elevated sports competition anxiety when compared to jumpers. In the female category, no substantial differences were observed in State and Trait Anxiety across the groups. However, sprinters in the female group exhibited higher levels of sports competition anxiety than throwers, who showed the lowest anxiety levels among the three subgroups. These results underscore the varying psychological demands of different track and field events. Sprinters, requiring explosive energy and short bursts of maximum effort, tend to experience heightened sports competition anxiety due to the intense focus on immediate performance outcomes. On the other hand, throwers, who rely on technique and strength, may experience greater state and trait anxiety stemming from the need to execute precision movements under pressure. The absence of significant differences in state and trait anxiety among female athletes suggests that gender-specific coping mechanisms or event-specific pressures might influence the psychological responses. However, the higher sports competition anxiety observed among female sprinters highlights the universal pressure associated with high-stakes, time-sensitive events. This study emphasizes the need for psychological interventions tailored to the specific needs of athletes based on their event and gender. Incorporating mental conditioning strategies, anxiety management techniques, and resilience-building programs can potentially enhance the performance and well-being of athletes across all disciplines.
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How to cite this article:
Naresh Kumar. Anxiety among inter-university athletes. Int J Phys Educ Sports Health 2017;4(6):231-234.