State Anxiety and Self-Efficacy among Track and Field Low and High Performers

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of state anxiety and self-efficacy among track and field low and high performers. Method: A total of 250 athletes of track and field (100 track, high&low) and (150 field, high&low) were selected as subjects from the Saudi Inter-University participants whose age ranged between 18 to 25 years. Two questionnaires, competitive state anxiety inventory - 2 and sports self-efficacy scale were used for the collection of the data. The mean, the standard deviation, and the t-test were used as the statistical tools to analyze the data. Findings: The results indicated that there were significant differences between the track high and low performers in cognitive anxiety (P ˂ 0.05), self-confidence (P ˂ 0.05) and self-efficacy (P ˂ 0.05). While there was no significant difference between field high and low performers in all the study variables (P ˃ 0.05). The track high performers differed significantly with the field high performers in only self-efficacy (P ˂ 0.05). Whereas, the track low performers had meaningful lower anxiety and self-efficacy than the field low performers (P ˂ 0.05). Applications: It was concluded that the track high performers were more anxious and effective than the track low performers. In addition, the track high performers revealed remarkably greater self-efficacy than the field high performers. Finally, the field low performers had greater anxiety and self-efficacy than the track low performers.