Application of izof model for anxiety and self-efficacy in volleyball athletes: A case study

Abstract

Introduction: The relation between psychological variables and their influence on athletic performance have been considered a crucial differential at important time points of the season. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the validity of the IZOF model from a multidimensional perspective of anxiety, and to investigate the possibility of extending the IZOF theory to the self-efficacy construct. Methods: Seven male professional volleyball players participated in the study. The Individual Self-Efficacy Scale for Volleyball and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory – 2 reduced version were answered by the players before all matches throughout a season. At the end of each match, athletic performance was obtained through the Data Volley program. Results: The results showed the IZOF of self-efficacy and of each subscale of anxiety for the professional team athletes who participated in more than 10 matches during the season. The athletes showed significant variability in scores, ranging from 3 to 5 points for cognitive anxiety, 2 to 7 points for somatic anxiety, 2 to 14 points for self-confidence, and 12 to 54 points for self-efficacy. The findings also indicated that IZOFs are different in an intra-and inter-individual way. We also observed that the number of matches, in percentages across all zones (below, in, and above the IZOF), indicated that Middle Blocker 1 and Opposite 1 presented the best profiles among the 7 players analyzed, as all their variables are in the IZOF zone in the majority of matches, a fact that represents a desired profile for these athletes. Conclusion: Through the analysis of the data, we can attest to the applicability of the IZOF theory for professional volleyball athletes from the multidimensional perspective of anxiety and the possibility of extending the theory to the self-efficacy construct in an attempt to predict the performance of volleyball athletes from this variable.