Abstract

ZARAUZ SANCHO, Antonio  and  RUIZ-JUAN, Francisco. Determinants of Anxiety in Spanish Master Athletes. Univ. Psychol. [online]. 2014, vol.13, n.3, pp.1047-1058. ISSN 1657-9267.  https://doi.org/10.11144/Javeriana.UPSY13-3fdaa.

We carry out an analysis of precompetitive anxiety in the growing number of Spanish master athletes. In addition, we evaluate which variables, including motivation, addiction intrinsic satisfaction, perception and beliefs about sporting success, are related to anxiety and which can be used to predict it. Significant differences were found between women and men, the former displaying higher results in terms of intrinsic motivation and somatic anxiety, and the latter in terms of self-confidence. We discuss the results and conclude that the moderate anxiety suffered is linked to the amount of pressure that they wish to impose upon themselves, stemming from expectation of the record or place they hope to reach in a competition situation. This causes them to practice their sport for many years, and they truly enjoy their training, pushing themselves by improving their technical ability in their chosen athletic speciality, which in turn generates high self-confidence and would improve performance. For this reason, they frequently achieve records in competition which they did not reach in the past, increasing their expectations of success and sense of competence, above all if they beat their rivals. Consequently, boredom and deceptive techniques barely exist within this group.

Keywords : self-determination; causes of sport success; goal orientation; addiction; intrinsic satisfaction.

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