Gender differences in the effects of psychological interventions on multidimensional state anxiety prior to competition in Malaysian volleyball players / Dr. Lim Boon Hooi & Balbir Singh Gill

The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in the effects of
psychological interventions on multidimensional state anxiety prior to competition in
Malaysian volleyball players. The Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory – Revised
(CSAI-2R) was employed to examine the pre-competition multidimensional state
anxiety one day before competition at the competition venue. Subjects were youth
state volleyball players (N=96; boys = 48; girls = 48; Age: M= 16.35 yr., SD = .89
yr) competing in the under 18 National School Sport Council of Malaysia Volleyball
Tournament. The group with the highest group mean scores in cognitive state anxiety
was assigned to a cognitive intervention group (n=24; 12 boys & 12 girls) where
subjects underwent breathing techniques and autogenic relaxation with music lasting
30 minutes per session; the group with the highest group mean scores in somatic
anxiety component (n=24; 12 boys & 12 girls) completed the somatic intervention
with progressive muscular relaxation lasting 30 minutes; the self-confidence group
(n=24; 12 boys & 12 girls) which rated the lowest mean group scores in self- confidence component carried out the intervention with positive self-talk and goal
setting exercises lasting 30 minutes; and a control group (n=24; 12 boys & 12 girls).
The MANOVA indicated that the interaction effect for gender and type of intervention
on CSAI-2R components was significant (Wilks’s Lambda = .69, F (7, 88) = 3.73, p <
.001). The results indicated significant main effect for gender (Wilks’s Lambda = .79,
F (7, 88) = 7.57, p < .001) and type of intervention (Wilks’s Lambda = .13, F (7, 88) = 30.85, p < .001). The male athletes in the present study displayed lower somatic
state anxiety, lower cognitive state anxiety and higher self-confidence intensities than
female athletes one day prior to competition, gender did influence anxiety responses
and findings of this study partially supported the hypothesis.