INFLUENCE OF COMPETITION ANXIETY

ABSTRACT

This study examined the influence of competition anxiety on the athletic performance of female student athletes in University of Benin, Benin City. Six (6) research questions were raised for the study out of which one hypothesis was formulated. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The simple random sampling technique was used to select fifty (50) female undergraduate athletes during 2020/2021 academic session as the sample for the study. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled “Competition Anxiety and Athletic Performance Questionnaire (CAAPQ)”. It was a 37-item questionnaire divided into six sections (A – F). It was validated by the researchers’ supervisor. The reliability was established at 0.89 using Cronbach alpha method. The demographic data was presented in frequency tables and analyzed using percentages, the research questions 1-5 were analyzed using mean while hypothesis 1 was tested using paired sample t-test statistics at 0.05 level of significance.

Findings revealed that the extent at which cognitive and somatic competition anxiety influence athletic performance of female athletes was high with an aggregate means of 3.40 and 3.43 respectively; level of female athlete’s participation in sports competition was high  (aggregate mean = 3.43); the highest factor of competition anxiety influencing their athletic performance of female athletes was fear of failure/worry while the least factor was health conditions while strategies such as educational programmes at building self confidence, emotional-focused perception, comprehension and regulation in athletes; engagement in adequate practice or training; visualization and regular progressive muscle relaxation; adaptation of mindfulness skills in athletes were rated high among others that can be adopted in managing their competition anxiety. Moreso, no significant difference exists in the influence of cognitive and somatic anxiety on athletic performance of female athletes.

It was recommended that Coaches, Sport psychologists and sport counselors should apply appropriate coping strategies to manage and control athletes' competition anxiety taken into consideration their experiences. Also, Coaches should regularly teach the female athletes to evaluate their performance by their own standards of improvement rather than by competitive outcome (that is win/loss). This can be achieved through a proper mental support to the athletes as this will assist them when facing obstacles in their sportcareer.