Tennis vs padel: Precompetitive anxiety as a function of gender and competitive level.

The main objective of this research is to analyze the level of anxiety and precompetitive self-confidence of tennis and padel players and to check the influence of gender and competitive level in each of the sports. Four hundred and twenty-three tennis and padel players, with a mean age of 15.40 (± 3.43) years, participated in the study. Of the total number of players surveyed, 291 were padel players and 132 were tennis players. The Spanish version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2R (CSAI-2R) in the Spanish version was used to measure the level of cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self-confidence between 30 and 35 min before the start of the match. The general results showed that the level of self-confidence of padel players is higher of tennis players. In relation to gender, female tennis players showed a higher level of precompetitive anxiety than male players, while, in padel, it was the opposite. In terms of competitive level, U14 players had the highest level of self-confidence and the lowest level of precompetitive anxiety. When comparing both sports, female tennis players show a higher level of state-anxiety than female padel players and U14 tennis players are the ones who showed a higher level of self-confidence. This study shows how precompetitive anxiety is one of the most important psychological variables in relation to sport performance and how it can vary according to gender and competitive level.

Estado de ánimo y dependencia a la actividad física en estudiantes universitarios durante el confinamiento por COVID-19 / Dependência do humor e da actividade física nos estudantes universitarios durante o confinamento COVID-19 / Mood and physical activity dependence in college students during COVID-19 lockdown

El objetivo principal de este estudio fue analizar el estado de ánimo y el nivel de dependencia al ejercicio físico de alumnos universitarios en etapa de confinamiento, y su interrelación entre ellos, en función del sexo, de si practican deporte federado en la actualidad y el nivel de preocupación hacia la problemática creada por el COVID-19 a nivel mundial. En el estudio, participaron 177 alumnos universitarios (133 hombres y 44 mujeres) de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte de la Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca con una media de edad de 20.85 (± 2.83) años y una disminución de práctica de actividad física del 73.5% en las dos primeras semanas de confinamiento. Los instrumentos utilizados para evaluar estos constructos fueron la Escala Revisada de Dependencia al Ejercicio (EDS-R) y el Profile Mood States (POMS) en versión reducida. Los resultados muestran que existe una correlación positiva significativa entre el nivel de dependencia al ejercicio físico y la Tensión, la Cólera, la Fatiga y el Estado Deprimido y una correlación negativa con el Vigor y la Amistad. En conclusión, se pone de manifiesto la importancia de la práctica de actividad física para la mejora de la salud anímica de los estudiantes universitarios. (AU)

The main purpose of the study was to analyze the mood and the level of dependence on physical exercise of college students during the lockdown, and its interrelation between them, according to gender, whether they currently practice federated sport and the level ofconcern towards the problem created by COVID-19 at a global level. In the study, 177 university students (133 males and 44 females) of the Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences of the Pontifical University of Salamanca participated with an average age of 20.85 (±2.83) years and a decrease in physical activity practice of 73.5% in the first two weeks of lockdown. The instruments used to evaluate these constructs were the Revised Scale of Exercise Dependence (EDS-R) and the Profile Mood States (POMS) in a reduced version. The results show that there is a significant positive correlation between the level of exercise dependence and Stress, Anger, Fatigue and Depressed state and a negative correlation with Vigor and Friendship. In conclusion, the importance of practicing physical activity is evident to improve the mental health of college students. (AU)

O principal objectivo desde estudo era analisar o estado de espírito e o nível de dependência do exercício físico dos estudantes universitários em confinamento, e a sua inter-relação entre si, de acordo com o género, se praticam actualmente desporto federado e o nível de preocupação com o problema criado pela COVID-19 a nível global. No estudo, participaram 177 estudantes universitários (133 homens e 44 mulheres) da Licenciatura em Atividade Física e Ciências do Esporte da Pontifícia Universidade de Salamanca com uma média de idade de 20,85 (±2,83) anos e uma diminuição na prática de atividade física de 73,5% nas primeiras duas semanas de confinamento. Os instrumentos utilizados para avaliar estas construções foram a Escala Revisada de Dependência do Exercício (EDS-R) e o Perfil Mood States (POMS) numa versão reduzida. Os resultados mostram que existe uma correlação positiva significativa entre o nível de dependência do exercício e o estado de Stress, Raiva, Fadiga e Deprimido e uma correlação negativa com o Vigor e a Amizade. Em conclusão, a importância da actividade física para melhorar a saúde mental dos estudantes universitários é evidente. (AU)

Pre-competitive anxiety in U12, U14 and U16 paddle tennis players / Ansiedad pre-competitiva en jugadores del pádel U12, U14 y U16

The main aim of this research is to analyze the level of precompetitive anxiety in female paddle players and male paddle players of Castilla y León in the categories U12, U14 and 16 before the beginning of the competition. Thus, 221 players participated in the study: 100 female athletes and 121 male athletes. The results showed that the level of self-confidence of athletes is higher than the levels obtained in the cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety, respectively. In relation with the sex of the athletes, male players showed higher levels in self-confidence and somatic anxiety, while the female players counted higher on cognitive anxiety. Finally, depending on the category in which they compete, U12 players are those who have more confidence in themselves, whereas U16 players are those who counted higher in the variables of cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety (AU)

El objetivo principal que se propone con este trabajo de investigación es analizar el nivel de ansiedad precompetitiva en los jugadores y las jugadoras de pádel de Castilla y León en las categorías alevín, infantil y cadete, en los minutos previos al comienzo de la competición. Para ello, participaron 221 jugadores: 100 deportistas de sexo femenino y 121 del sexo masculino. Los resultados demostraron que el nivel de autoconfianza de los deportistas es mayor que los niveles obtenidos en las variables ansiedad cognitiva y ansiedad somática, respectivamente. En relación con el sexo, los jugadores mostraron niveles superiores en autoconfianza y ansiedad somática, mientras las jugadoras puntuaron más alto en ansiedad cognitiva. Por último, en función de la categoría en la que compiten, los alevines son los que más confianza tienen en ellos mismos, mientras que los cadetes son los que puntuaron más alto en las variables de ansiedad cognitiva y ansiedad somática (AU)

Female Spanish athletes face pre-competition anxiety at the highest levels of competition / Atletas femeninas españolas frente a la ansiedad precompetitive en los niveles más altos de competición

Pre-competition anxiety is one of the most common emotions experienced among athletes in high performance sport. It can cause both positive and negative effects, which makes the ability to manage this anxiety one of the most important parts of an athlete’s preparation. This study analyzes the anxiety levels in athletes from the Spanish Women’s National Track & Field Team who participated in the European Championships, the World Championships, and the Olympic Games. The study evaluates how these athletes cope with pre-competition anxiety by examining three variables in the moments prior to the competition-cognitive anxiety, self-confidence, and somatic anxiety-and the way these variables impacted the results achieved by these athletes. The study indicates that a significant difference exists between cognitive anxiety and self-confidence, which shows that the higher an athlete’s self-confidence, the lower the levels of cognitive anxiety. Higher levels of self-confidence and lower levels of cognitive anxiety were also shown to have a positive impact on performance results (AU)

La ansiedad precompetitiva es una de las emociones más generalizadas en el deporte de alto rendimiento deportivo. Provoca efectos tanto positivos como negativos, por lo que el control de la misma es uno de los objetivos más importantes dentro de la preparación del atleta de alto nivel. El objeto de este estudio es analizar los niveles de ansiedad en las atletas españolas del equipo nacional de atletismo que participan en la máxima competición tanto a nivel español como en campeonatos de Europa, del Mundo y Juegos Olímpicos. Se realizó un estudio desde la perspectiva de cómo afrontan las atletas españolas la ansiedad precompetitiva a partir de las variables ansiedad cognitiva, autoconfianza y ansiedad somática, y la manera en que estas tres variables inciden en el resultado obtenido por las atletas españolas en el momento previo a la competición. Los resultados obtenidos muestran diferencias significativas entre la ansiedad cognitiva y la autoconfianza, lo que provoca que, a mayores niveles de autoconfianza, los niveles de ansiedad cognitiva sean menores. Esto les permite evitar los signos negativos que causa la ansiedad cognitiva, con lo que esta no afecta a su rendimiento (AU)