Anxiety And Resilience In Relation To Performance: A Systematic Review
Abstract
This systematic review explores the intricate relationship between anxiety and resilience in the context of sports performance. Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, is essential for athletes to overcome challenges and achieve success. Anxiety, a feeling of fear or worry, can both positively and negatively impact sports performance. The study aims to investigate the effects of varying levels of anxiety and resilience on sports performance and to explore the interplay between these factors. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across various electronic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, PsycINFO, and more. The inclusion criteria comprised English-language publications within the last 15 years that focused on anxiety and resilience in sports performance. After a rigorous selection process, 10 relevant studies were included for systematic review and meta-analysis. The findings reveal that both low and high anxiety levels can lead to impaired sports performance, while moderate anxiety levels may facilitate optimal performance. Similarly, individuals with low resilience may struggle to handle stressors and perform at their best, whereas those with high resilience tend to cope better and achieve better performance outcomes. Additionally, a strong negative correlation between anxiety and resilience is observed, suggesting that greater resilience can help mitigate the negative impact of anxiety on sports performance. The results highlight the importance of fostering resilience in athletes to improve their ability to manage anxiety and enhance overall performance.
... Psychological capital serves as a mediating variable, and sports anxiety impacts SP through psychological capital (Lee et al., 2022). Athletes exhibiting higher levels of mental toughness tend to display superior coping mechanisms in managing competitive anxiety, thereby leading to enhanced SP (Mahato and Thander, 2023). Individuals with elevated achievement motivation possess a greater capacity to mitigate the adverse effects of sports anxiety, which contributes to improved athletic outcomes (Németh and Balogh, 2021). ...
Existing studies on athletes’ sports performance (SP) have identified significant associations between competitive state anxiety (CSA) and goal orientation (GO). However, few studies have explored the intrinsic relationships among CSA, GO, and SP. Moreover, there is a lack of attention paid to college track and field (T&F) athletes as a specific group, particularly regarding the role of GO in this process. We investigated the relationship between CSA and GO as well as their effects on athletes’ SP using a sample of Chinese college T&F athletes ( N = 87, 44.8% female). Specifically, the mediating role of GO in the relationship between CSA and SP was examined. Task orientation significantly mediated the relationship between self-confidence and SP, with higher levels of task orientation leading to shorter completion times for the 1500-meter race. However, ego orientation was not associated with sports performance. These findings suggest that fostering task orientation and enhancing self-confidence are crucial to improving SP. This study deepens our understanding of CSA and GO in athletes by contributing to the current theoretical framework. Furthermore, our results offer practical recommendations for coaches and educators to develop evidence-based training strategies aimed at optimizing athletes’ psychological and sports performance.
... Numerous difficulties experienced by the Indian team included injuries, quarantine limitations, racial insults, and adverse conditions. Not only on the team but also on individual players such as Yuvraj Singh displayed tenacity by overcoming cancer and returning to international cricket in 2012(Mahato Amrit, 2023) A young female athlete who plays sports must contend with complicated, ambiguous, and limiting norms and ideas such as (gender inequality and discrimination, body image, disordered eating, energy deficiency, fatigue and poor sleep, and mental distress) that may impact their health and performance. (Lunde & Gattario, 2017) Feu factors that may increase psychological resilience such as adversity and positive adaptation stress coping ability, supportive athletic environments (McManama O'Brien et al., 2021) Athletes' performance in sports might also suffer when they are under a lot of stress, such as expectations, game pressure, umpire mistakes, etc. ...
Background: Understanding the psychological resilience of athletes, particularly young female cricketers, is crucial for their success and well-being in competitive sports. This study investigates the relationship between age, resilience, and sports performance among university women cricket players. Methods: A descriptive study focused on female cricketers aged 18 to 25 selected for the East Zone inter-university women's cricket coaching camp. A brief Resilience Scale was used to measure psychological resilience. The snowball sampling method was used to find participants. It resulted in a sample size of 25. Results: Descriptive statistics revealed that most players exhibited normal to higher levels of resilience, with mean BRS scores falling within the normal resilience range. On average, older players tended to have higher resilience levels, indicating a positive correlation between age and resilience. Graphical representation further illustrated the direct proportionality between age and resilience. Conclusion: This study contributes to understanding age and resilience dynamics among young female cricketers, highlighting the importance of resilience in sports success. The results emphasize the necessity of specialized interventions to boost athletes' psychological toughness and improve their competitive sports performance.
In the field of sport psychology, research on emotional intelligence and its relationship with other psychological variables to determine how it affects the athlete’s performance is becoming more frequent and prevalent. Among these psychological variables, research in this field has focused on the evaluation of the influence of aspects such as motivation, leadership, self-concept, and anxiety. The main objective of this research is to analyze the levels of each of the dimensions of emotional intelligence (attention, clarity, and emotional regulation) and their relationship with each of the SCAT items to measure pre-competitive anxiety. To do so, we analyzed the influence that one psychological construct has on the other, in order to establish the type of relationships that are established between them. The design of this research corresponds to be transversal, observational, quantitative, and descriptive. The sample consisted of 165 students belonging to university degrees (bachelor’s and master’s) related to physical activity and sport sciences. The main finding of this study allows us to affirm the relationship between emotional intelligence and anxiety. This confirms the hypothesis that anxiety is an indispensable component of any competitive situation, and that neither the total absence of anxiety nor high levels of it leads to better sports performance. Therefore, sport psychology should focus on the emotional preparation of athletes so that they can manage and control their anxiety at intermediate levels, which in addition to being typical of a competitive situation, is also synonymous with good sporting performance.
Purpose: Psychological resilience is vital to the development of sport talents. Qualitative research has consistently demonstrated that sport resilience encapsulates a mixed package of resilience qualities (reflecting positive traits and characteristics) and resilience support (reflecting perceived support and related resources). Ironically, sport resilience research adopting quantitative methods has been assessing resilience as a unidimensional construct, with little attention to the multi-facet nature of resilience and its effects on performance. In the present research, we tested a novel proposition that resilience qualities predict reduced pre-competition cognitive anxiety and contribute to performance more than resilience support. Methods & Results: Across two samples of competitive table tennis players (Study 1: N = 196 competing at province level; Study 2: N = 106 competing at national level), we consistently found resilience qualities, rather than resilience support, predicted lower levels of pre-competition cognitive anxiety and superior performance at a national championship. Results also suggest that pre-competition cognitive anxiety mediated the relationship between resilience qualities and performance. Conclusion: The findings provide the first evidence supporting the divergent effects of resilience qualities and resilience support in predicting pre- competition anxiety and championship performance and call for the consideration of such a distinction when designing and delivering resilience programs.
The present study examined the effects of stressful constraints during soccer trainings on psychological skill development and internal load when compared with control (nonstressful) trainings. A total of 51 elite male youth soccer players (27 in the experimental group, M = 16.54 years; 24 in the control group, M = 15.44 years) participated in the study. In a 12-week longitudinal survey, team resilience, using the Spanish version of the Characteristics of Resilience in Sports Teams Inventory, and anxiety, using the Sport Anxiety Scale, were measured at baseline (after 4 weeks of regular trainings), postprotocol (after 4 weeks of control or experimental trainings), and follow-up (after 4 weeks of regular trainings). Results show that, when compared with the control group, a program with stressful constraints helped young soccer players to develop better psychological skills: specifically, increased ability to cope with impairments in resilience (both resilience characteristics and team vulnerability under pressure; p < 0.001). Increases in anxiety (p = 0.06) and decreases in preoccupation (p < 0.001) and lack of concentration (p < 0.001) were also observed. The adaptation of human behavior to specific trainings may explain these results. In conclusion, the regular exposure of young soccer players to stressful situations during trainings shows benefits for their psychological skill development in soccer. Then, benefits on internal load were also observed.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between resilience levels and anxiety of volleyball players and to find possible differences that exist between the two genders. Participants included 195 volleyball players (37 male and 158 female), with the Self Evaluation Resilience test and the CSAI-2 test (Greek version) used as evaluation instruments. The data was analysed with SPSS 21.0 using Pearson’s r and t-test for independent samples. Results of Pearson’s r test showed positive intercorrelations between all the resilience variables and between resilience and self-confidence. The t-test showed statistically significant differences between male and female volleyball players in “forming relationships” and “self-efficacy” variables, with no other statistically significant differences observed for the rest of the resilience variables. Additionally, statistically significant differences were observed for “cognitive”, “somatic” anxiety and “self-confidence” between the two genders of volleyball players. Future research should further investigate the relationship between resilience and self-confidence and how it affects the resilience level of volleyball players.
Anxiety disorder is becoming increasingly prevalent across college campuses, particularly among collegiate athletes who face different stressors and challenges than their non-athlete peers. Anxiety and depression are well documented comorbidities. Furthermore, the number of Chinese collegiate athletes suffering from anxiety and depression is increasing. Psychologists have recently begun to take a more prophylactic approach to defend against these disorders through resilience education. Resilience education focuses on developing greater capacity to cope when mental and emotional challenges arise. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between resilience, depression, and anxiety in Chinese collegiate athletes. This study provides additional evidence of the value of incorporating an effective resilience educational module amongst collegiate athletes.
Research design
The study employed a survey research design to explore the complex relationship between depression, anxiety, and resilience for collegiate student athletes.
Data analysis strategy
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to account for any measurement error between the observed items (responses on the instruments) and the latent variables (anxiety, depression, and resilience). The theoretical hypothesized relationship for this study is an inverse relationship between anxiety and depression, on the one hand, and resilience on the other hand. The SEM statistical analysis from this study supported this theoretical model.
Effective sample size
599 collegiate athletes from six different universities in the province of Guangdong, China P.R. participated in this study.
Sport psychology as an academic pursuit is nearly two centuries old. An enduring goal since inception has been to understand how psychological techniques can improve athletic performance. Although much evidence exists in the form of meta-analytic reviews related to sport psychology and performance, a systematic review of these meta-analyses is absent from the literature. We aimed to synthesize the extant literature to gain insights into the overall impact of sport psychology on athletic performance. Guided by the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews, we reviewed relevant articles identified via the EBSCOhost interface. Thirty meta-analyses published between 1983 and 2021 met the inclusion criteria, covering 16 distinct sport psychology constructs. Overall, sport psychology interventions/variables hypothesized to enhance performance (e.g., cohesion, confidence, mindfulness) were shown to have a moderate beneficial effect (d = 0.51), whereas variables hypothesized to be detrimental to performance (e.g., cognitive anxiety, depression, ego climate) had a small negative effect (d = -0.21). The quality rating of meta-analyses did not significantly moderate the magnitude of observed effects, nor did the research design (i.e., intervention vs. correlation) of the primary studies included in the meta-analyses. Our review strengthens the evidence base for sport psychology techniques and may be of great practical value to practitioners. We provide recommendations for future research in the area.
In recent research, attachment has been addressed as a core factor that potentially contributes to resilience. However, there is still much to investigate regarding the mechanisms of this relationship. Emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping strategies may be promising pathways via which attachment associates with resilience. The present study evaluated the role of attachment insecurity (i.e., attachment anxiety and avoidance) in resilience among a Turkish sample during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that individuals with high levels of attachment anxiety would experience lower resilience via emotion-focused coping strategies. On the other hand, we did not have a specific hypothesis for attachment avoidance due to contrasting research findings of previous studies. Participants reported their attachment orientation, resilience, and coping strategies. Attachment anxiety was directly and, through both coping strategies, indirectly linked to resilience however attachment avoidance was only indirectly related to resilience through problem-focused coping. The findings indicate that low levels of attachment anxiety and the ability to use problem-focused coping strategies may be associated with greater resilience. The fostering of attachment security may thus reduce the use of emotion-focused strategies and may promote resilience among individuals with high levels of attachment anxiety. Moreover, our study is one of the first to investigate attachment orientations in relevance with coping and resilience during the ongoing pandemic This research has implications regarding the potentials of introducing psycho-educational trainings for better coping strategies in crisis like COVID-19 pandemic.
The experience of athlete burnout is influenced by the psychosocial dynamics within sports organizations. Factors relevant to the stress-burnout process need to be explored to guide the development of effective strategies for preventing or reducing athlete burnout. The study aim was to examine how levels of psychological resilience influence the relationships among organizational stressors, competitive trait anxiety, and burnout symptoms in athletes. Within a correlational study design, a survey of 506 young athletes (mean age = 21.3 years) collected data on psychological resilience, organizational stressors, competitive trait anxiety, and athlete burnout (reduced sense of accomplishment, sport devaluation, emotional/physical exhaustion). A conditional process analysis was conducted to test whether competitive trait anxiety mediated the association between organizational stressors and athlete burnout and its dependence on psychological resilience levels. The results indicated that organizational stressors could contribute to burnout symptoms as they could induce high levels of competitive trait anxiety in athletes (indirect effect = .08–.11, Sobel Z = 3.58–5.41). For athletes with higher levels of psychological resilience, the indirect effect of organizational stressors on athlete burnout via competitive trait anxiety was weaker. These results highlight the importance of psychological resilience and competitive trait anxiety in understanding how organizational stressors relate to burnout in athletes. Sports practitioners are recommended to develop resilience-training interventions to support individuals encountering organizational stressors in sport.
The objective of this study is to show the links and differences in the expressions of competitive anxiety in the face of the existence of resilient resources in young athletes, according to sporting (years of experience) and personal (gender) characteristics. To meet these aims, the participants answered the Resilience Scale (RS-14) and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2R (CSAI-2R). Sample consisted of 241 adolescent handball and basketball players between 14 and 17 years old. Different analyses were performed, including a differential and multivariate descriptive, a correlation, and a multiple regression. The results showed that anxiety was negatively related to resilience in its acceptance dimension. It was shown that girls showed higher levels of somatic anxiety, while boys showed higher levels of acceptance. Statistically significant differences were found in the resources for acceptance in favour of boys, while there were significantly different indicators in somatic anxiety and self-confidence in favour of girls. The sports experience was positively related to resilience and negatively to anxiety. Although the existence of indicators of cognitive anxiety (e.g. recurrent thoughts or rhyming), coaches and athletes need to understand that they are also indicators of a necessary activation for psychological functioning. Channeling such a process through psychological training of
different skills will enhance the capacities for self-confidence.
Resilience is an important construct in sport because athletes must constantly withstand a wide range of stressing factors to attain optimal performance. The aim of this study was to analyze how the resilient profile influences the recovery-stress levels of competitive athletes. Participants were 235 subjects (126 males and 109 females), aged between 15 and 35 years (M age = 20.7 years, SD = 4.3) who practiced different sports. They were evaluated on two occasions coinciding with the beginning of the last competitive mesocycle and after the most important competition of the season. Recovery-stress and resilience levels were studies by the Spanish versions of the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-Sport, Kellmann and Kallus, 2001) and the Resilience Scale (Wagnild and Young, 1993). No significant difference was observed in resilience scores between evaluations performed during the last mesocycle or competition, but values for the different RESTQ-Sport stress factors increased during the second evaluation. Resilience related positively to recovery factors and negatively to stress factors of the RESTQ-Sport. Athletes with high resilience reached higher scores in recovery factors and lower scores in stress factors. Our results seem to show that a higher level of resilience influences positively recovery-stress processes.