Anxiety prevalence of pre-competitive anxiety among female football players in Malaysia

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of pre-competitive anxiety (PCA) among female football players, with a secondary focus on examining its correlation with match outcomes, emotional states, and arousal levels. Sixty-seven experienced female football players (mean age: 22.9 ± 4.5 years; mean height: 1.58 ± 5.4 cm; mean weight: 54.8 ± 7.2 kg) volunteered for the study. Anxiety levels before matches were assessed using the Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), while emotional states and arousal levels were measured before, during, and after matches using the Feeling Scale (FS) and Felt Arousal Scale (FAS). All participants completed the SCAT questionnaire, FS, and FAS scales. Descriptive analysis was employed to assess anxiety levels, and Pearson correlation (r) analysis was conducted to explore relationships between these variables. The findings indicated moderate levels of pre-competitive anxiety among participants. However, no significant correlations were observed between SCAT scores and match outcomes, FS, or FAS scores (P > 0.05). This study suggests that while anxiety, arousal, and emotional states play a role, they may have a limited impact on the competitive performance of female football players. Further research is essential to validate these findings and emphasize the significance of addressing pre-competitive anxiety in the Malaysian sports context.