Date of Graduation

2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

Committee Chair

Jack Watson

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate changes in state anxiety levels and perceptions of anxiety, in relation to burnout and performance levels in Division I collegiate swimmers over the course of a competitive swim season. A secondary purpose was to examine the relationships between trait anxiety, burnout, somatic and cognitive state anxiety, and self-confidence. A total of 127 swimmers from three Divisions I schools participated in the study. Swimmers where initially given the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS; Smith et al., 1990) to establish trait anxiety levels. At three meets, occurring at the beginning, middle, and end of the season, swimmers completed the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ; Raedeke & Smith, 2001) and the Revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory- 2 (CSAI-2; Cox, Martens, & Russell, 2003) before the meets, and a measure of performance after the meets. Results indicated that burnout levels significantly changed over the course of the season (F(2, 53) = 7.474, p = .001, ES = .22). Swimmers were split into high, medium and low trait worry based on their SAS score for some analyses. Using a multiple regression analysis, It was found that burnout was significantly predicted at Time 2 by trait anxiety worry group, self-confidence interpretation, and somatic state anxiety interpretation (F(3,88) = 9.24, p < .001). Performance scores were not significantly related to burnout or anxiety levels except for somatic anxiety intensity at Time 1.

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