The relationship between sources of confidence and re-injury anxiety in injured athletes returning to sport.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship between sources of confidence and re-injury anxiety in injured athletes returning to sport. Participants (n=40) from a range of sports (n=7) completed the Modified Sources of Sport-Confidence Questionnaire (M-SSCQ; Vealey, Hayashi, Garner-Holman & Giacobbi, 1998) and the Reinjury Anxiety Inventory (RIAI; Walker, Thatcher & Lavallee, 2010). The results from the multiple regression analysis indicated that environmental comfort (p<.05) significantly contributed to the prediction of re-injury anxiety intensity, with a positive correlation. Vicarious experience (p<.05) was the only source to significantly predict variance in reinjury anxiety frequency, with a negative correlation. The results from this present study suggest that specific sources of confidence may have stronger relationships to the prediction of re-injury anxiety intensity and frequency when returning to sport. Further quantitative and qualitative research is required to fully understand why certain sources of confidence have a greater effect on re-injury anxiety.