Abstract

VASCONCELOS-RAPOSO, José et al. Negative thoughts and self-confidence among athletes with different sports experiences: A meta-analysis. PsychTech [online]. 2023, vol.7, n.2, pp.5-19.  Epub Mar 20, 2024. ISSN 2184-1004.  https://doi.org/10.26580/pthj.art62-2024.

An athlete’s sporting experience is a factor associated with better-coping strategies and emotional regulation, especially concerning competitive anxiety and its symptoms. To verify whether more experienced athletes have lower rates of negativism and higher levels of self-confidence, we compared the means of these two variables between athletes with more and less experience. A meta-analysis was performed, following the PRISMA model. Seven articles were selected that measured, through the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory - 2 (CSAI-2 or its shortened version, CSAI-2R), the levels of self-confidence and negativism of high-performance athletes with different sports experiences. Significant statistical differences were found regarding the levels of negativism between athletes with more and less experience (p < .001). The same occurred with the levels of self-confidence between athletes with more and less sports experience (< .001). The results align with our initial hypothesis, formulated by Martens et al. (1990), that athletes with more experience would have higher self-confidence and lower negativism averages. One of the reasons may be using more effective coping strategies that are improved during the career years.

Keywords : anxiety; sports anxiety; competitive anxiety; pre-competitive anxiety; negativity.

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