Self-confidence and anxiety interpretation: A qualitative investigation

Abstract

This qualitative paper, which looked at athletes’ self-confidence, exposed the perceived mechanisms underlying debilitative anxiety. Causal networks displayed performers’ retrospective explanations for the relationship between confidence and anxiety 'direction'. Elite performers reported using confidence management strategies to protect against debilitating interpretations of competitive anxiety. The strategies included combinations of: mental rehearsal, cognitive thought stopping and restructuring, self-talk and coach encouragement. The findings have implications for consultants and performers operating in stressful environments. Hanton designed the study, contributed to data analysis, and edited the manuscript.