Self-confidence as a mediator of the relationship between competitive anxiety intensity and interpretation

Abstract

This paper adopted a novel regression approach in the anxiety literature to assess whether self-confidence mediates the relationship between competitive anxiety intensity and direction in elite and non-elite performers. For elite athletes, a mediating effect was demonstrated for self-confidence between the level of worry symptoms and their interpretation. Within non-elite athletes, worry and somatic levels accounted for variations in symptom direction over that accounted for by confidence; that is, partial mediation was established. The findings have implications for those who are low in confidence, and also experience anxiety. Neil designed the study, collected/analysed the data, and edited the manuscript.