COMPETITIVE ANXIETY AND SELF-EFFICACY IN YOUNG VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS: A SEASON TREND STUDY OF THEIR RECIPROCAL EFFECT ON MATCH OUTCOMES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate: i) the changes and interrelationships of competitive anxiety (CA) and self-efficacy responses; and ii) the predictive power of these variables and the competitive context in predicting match-by-match performance of a volleyball team in an entire season. The sample consisted of 15 Brazilian high-performance male volleyball players (U-18). The outcomes were somatic CA, cognitive CA, and self-confidence measured with the Competitive Anxiety Questionnaire in Sports (CSAI-2R), and self-efficacy, assessed with the Individual Self-Efficacy Scale for Volleyball. The athletes answered the questionnaires before each match during the season (N=24 matches). The athletes presented higher somatic and cognitive CA and lower self-confidence at the beginning of the competitive phase. Trend-repeated measures analysis showed seasonal variations with a decrease in somatic (~57%) and cognitive (~62%) CA and increase in self-confidence (~40%) and self-efficacy (~16%). Self-efficacy presented a high and positive correlation with self-confidence (rho=0.56, p