Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under CC BY-NC 4.0 license
Authors
1 Department of Motor behavior and sport psychology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University ,Tehran, Iran .
2 Department of Motor behavior and sport psychology , Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University ,Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness training and PETTLEP imagery on competitive state anxiety and the performance of equestrian athletes.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, which was conducted with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group, 30 professional adult equestrians were selected conveniently and were randomly assigned into three Mental Imagery, Mindfulness, and Control groups. In the pre-test and the post-test phases, the participants completed the Persian version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, and then their jumping performance was measured in a simulated competition by the jury. In the intervention stage, a 90-minute session was held in 6 weeks, in which the training groups dealt with the desired interventions. Data were analyzed using dependent t-tests, Univariate, and Multivariate Analyses of Covariance with Bonferroni's post hoc test.
Results: The study's results showed that mindfulness has a significant effect on sports performance (P=0.025), physical anxiety (P=0.030), cognitive anxiety (P=0.015), and self-confidence (P=0.0001). Also, imagery has a significant effect on sports performance (P=0.039), physical anxiety (P=0.016), cognitive anxiety (P=0.033), and self-confidence (P=0.033). Other results indicated that there is no significant difference between the effect of mindfulness and imagery on the anxiety, self-confidence, and performance of equestrian athletes in show jumping discipline (P<0.05).
Conclusion: In general, the results of the study suggest the use of mindfulness training and PETTLEP mental imagery interventions as practical, safe, and effective training methods to reduce competitive state anxiety, and to improve the performance of equestrian athletes in show jumping discipline.
Keywords
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