Fear of Failure, Experience, and Division as Predictors of State Anxiety in Usfa Epee Fencers

<p>Research looks for the sources of state anxiety for individual athletes prior to competition, which can be debilitating (Gould, 1993; Gould, Horn & Spreeman, 1983). Non-elite athletes who are high trait anxious (possibly fear of failure) have higher state anxiety than elite athletes (Conroy, 2002; Gould, Horn & Spreeman, 1983). Fencers may be prone to elevated state anxiety. No research links these variables together in fencing. The purpose of the study is to examine fear of failure, experience, and division as predictors of state anxiety for epee fencers prior to competition. Epee fencers (N = 145) who competed in the USFA Summer Nationals completed a demographics questionnaire, the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2R (Cox, Martens & Russell, 2003), and the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (Conroy, Willow, & Metzler, 2002). Multiple regression analyses revealed fear of failure as a predictor of cognitive anxiety (B = .44, p < .001). Division I-A fencers are predictive of higher cognitive anxiety than Division I fencers (B = .20, p = .04). None were significant predictors for somatic anxiety. Experience was not associated with either cognitive or somatic anxiety.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Year dc:date.available

2007

Author dc:creator

• Athanas, Elizabeth Helen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Daniel R. Czech
• Anthony J. Lachowetz

• ETD
• Fear of failure
• State anxiety
• Experience
• Fencing
• Sport psychology
• Performance anxiety
• Sports Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/73

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1073