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The effects of a self-directed stress inoculation training program on selected psychological and physiological measures related to anxiety in collegiate volleyball players

Anxiety in sport is considered a crucial factor in determining the positive or negative outcome of a contest. Thus, many athletes have relied upon complex systems of mental or psychological training in an effort to increases their possibilities of success. / Competitive anxiety is currently conceptualized as having two components: somatic anxiety, and cognitive anxiety. Most of the techniques used to manage competitive anxiety are designed to modify the somatic, the cognitive, or both types of anxiety. As a consequence of this conceptualization, several "packaged interventions" have been developed, each which are comprised of different cognitive-behavioral techniques. One of the most employed packaged interventions is Meichenbaum's Stress Inoculation Training (SIT). However, all the research in the treatment of sport competitive anxiety has been conducted by helping professionals; no investigations directed to manage sport anxiety have employed a self-directed approach, in other words, without the presence of a therapist. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a self-directed stress inoculation training program on collegiate athletes. / Subjects in this study were members of the Florida State University women volleyball team (N = 10). The following instruments were used in order to gather data: the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2). Which is a sport-specific self-reporting instrument constructed to independently measure the components of competitive state anxiety--somatic and cognitive state anxiety--in addition to a state self-confidence sub-scale. As a measure of state somatic anxiety the skin temperature and heart rate of each subject were recorded. Lastly, the subjects' performance was recorded following each game. / In this study the data were analyzed first, with a t-test between pretest groups which investigated the equivalency of the two groups. Secondly, a two way ANOVA with repeated measures (Pre vs Post). Additionally, paired t-tests within each group were applied, in order to discern whether there were significant differences between the pretest and posttest for each dependent variable. Lastly, due to the small sample size the Mann Whitney U test was conducted. / Results of the t-test provided evidence that both groups were equivalent at the baseline. The two way ANOVA with repeated measures yielded differences between the pretest and posttest data. / In in attempt to identify the direction and magnitude of the change provided by the two way ANOVA, paired t-tests within each group were computed. This last analysis provided support for two of the six initial hypothesis. Those hypotheses that yielded significant changes were state cognitive anxiety and performance. The Mann Whitney U test provided a statistically significant difference for only one variable, cognitive anxiety. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-02, Section: A, page: 0467. / Major Professor: David Pargman. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76861
ContributorsSerrano, Alejandro., Florida State University
Source SetsFlorida State University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText
Format197 p.
RightsOn campus use only.
RelationDissertation Abstracts International

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