The mediating role of sports self-confidence in the relationship between sports anxiety and perceived sports performance of suc-3 student-athletes during the in-season
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55040/mf5ctz50Keywords:
competitive anxiety, sport confidence, perceived performance, collegiate athletes, in-season performanceAbstract
Competitive sport environments expose athletes to psychological pressures that influence performance, particularly through the interaction of sports anxiety and sports self-confidence. Understanding these dynamics during the in-season is critical for optimizing athlete outcomes and performance consistency. This study aimed to determine the levels of sports anxiety, sports self-confidence, and perceived sports performance; examine sex differences; and test the direct and mediating relationships among these variables. A quantitative cross-sectional correlational–mediation design was employed involving 106 collegiate student-athletes (61 females, 45 males). Data were collected using standardized instruments and analyzed using regression-based mediation analysis with the Sobel test.
Results indicated that athletes exhibited varying levels of sports anxiety, sports self-confidence, and perceived sports performance. Significant sex differences were observed, with females reporting higher cognitive anxiety (M = 3.27, SD = 0.60) than males (M = 2.76, SD = 0.81; p = .001). In contrast, males demonstrated higher sports self-confidence (M = 7.19, SD = 1.48 vs. 6.59, SD = 1.40; p = .016) and perceived sports performance (M = 7.86, SD = 1.70 vs. 7.10, SD = 1.91; p = .045). Regression analyses revealed that sports anxiety significantly and negatively predicted sports self-confidence (B = −0.5245, p = .014), while sports self-confidence significantly and positively predicted perceived sports performance (B = 0.8967, p < .001). Sports anxiety did not directly predict perceived performance (p = .181), but a significant indirect effect was observed, indicating mediation.These findings highlight sports self-confidence as a key psychological mechanism linking anxiety and performance, emphasizing the importance of confidence-based interventions to enhance athlete performance under competitive conditions.
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