The effect of a mental skills training programme on the anxiety of athletes

M.A. (Psychology)Abstract: The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of anxiety on a sample of provincial youth track- and field athletes and to develop a mental skills programme to help decrease their pre-competition and competition anxiety during sport performance. A purposive sample of 83 athletes ranging from 13 – 19 years of age (mean age = 16.00 years; sd = 1.90) were included in the study. A quasi-experimental design was followed, with 55 athletes assigned to the experimental group and participated in a mental skills training programme over a period of six months. The control group consisted of 28 athletes, did not receive information or any education on the same mental skills training programme and were asked to continue with their regular training programme. All the participants were asked to complete the Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), as well as the Mental Skills Inventory (MSI). The results indicated that youth athletes have a high level of anxiety when competing in track- and field events. It was also found that they have a moderate level of mental skills, leaving much room for improvement of their mental skills. The high negative correlation found between mental skills and anxiety in the sample, supported the premise of the study that an increase in the mental skills of the athletes might decrease their anxiety significantly. The results of the study indicated that the mental skills training programme, which include relaxation skills, emotional control and self-talk management improved the mental skills and decreased the anxiety levels of the experimental group significantly. The change in anxiety levels did not occur in the control group. The results indicated that the mental skills training programme decrease the anxiety of the experimental group significantly