The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in University Athletes: Analysis of Its Relationship with Anxiety.

In the field of sport psychology, research on emotional intelligence and its relationship with other psychological variables to determine how it affects the athlete's performance is becoming more frequent and prevalent. Among these psychological variables, research in this field has focused on the evaluation of the influence of aspects such as motivation, leadership, self-concept, and anxiety. The main objective of this research is to analyze the levels of each of the dimensions of emotional intelligence (attention, clarity, and emotional regulation) and their relationship with each of the SCAT items to measure pre-competitive anxiety. To do so, we analyzed the influence that one psychological construct has on the other, in order to establish the type of relationships that are established between them. The design of this research corresponds to be transversal, observational, quantitative, and descriptive. The sample consisted of 165 students belonging to university degrees (bachelor's and master's) related to physical activity and sport sciences. The main finding of this study allows us to affirm the relationship between emotional intelligence and anxiety. This confirms the hypothesis that anxiety is an indispensable component of any competitive situation, and that neither the total absence of anxiety nor high levels of it leads to better sports performance. Therefore, sport psychology should focus on the emotional preparation of athletes so that they can manage and control their anxiety at intermediate levels, which in addition to being typical of a competitive situation, is also synonymous with good sporting performance.

Analysis of stress tolerance, competitive-anxiety, heart rate variability and salivary cortisol during successive matches in male futsal players.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the stress tolerance, competitive anxiety, heart rate variability and salivary cortisol before and during successive futsal competitive matches (3 matches in 4 days) in young male futsal players. METHODS: 10 young male futsal players (16.9 ± 0.7 age; 71.0 ± 5.1 kg; 174.9 ± 4.3 cm) were monitored during one training session and across a competitive period with 3 successive matches. External load was determined by the PlayerLoad method, while session rating of perceived exertion was used to calculate the internal training and competitive load. The stress tolerance was examined using Daily Analysis of Life Demand in Athletes questionnaire and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory was used to analyze the competitive anxiety. The Time and frequency monitoring parameters were used to analyze the vagal cardiac autonomic marker. sC was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: A generalized estimating equation showed a significant difference for PlayerLoad from M1 to TS, M2 and M3, from M2 to M3 (p < 0.05), and for session rating of perceived exertion from M1 to Ts and M3 (p < 0.05). A difference for sources [χ2 (3) = 1.481, p = 0.68] or symptoms [χ2 (3) = 3.893, p = 0.27] was not found. There was no significant difference in any of the competitive anxiety [cognitive anxiety (F (1.644; 14.799) = 4.6, p = 0.73, ŋ2 p = 0.28), somatic anxiety (F (2,09; 18,85) = 26.07 p = 0.057; ŋ2p = 0.27) or self-confidence (F(2.07; 18.85) = 15.875 p = 0.152; ŋ2p = 0.18)] domains. The HRV parameters (time domain and frequency) and Salivary Cortisol (sC) (χ2 (3) = 4.320 p = 0.229) did not significantly change during the successive matches. CONCLUSION: The competitive scenario in which the players were evaluated did not significantly modify the stress tolerance, or the athletes' state of anxiety, which in turn was not able to promote changes in the cardiac vagal modulation or in the sC levels before the matches.

Relación Entre Respuestas Físico-Fisiológicas Y Psicológicas En Árbitros De Fútbol Amateur / Relação Entre Respostas Físico-Fisiológicas E Psicológicas Em Árbitros De Futebol Amador / Relationship Between Physical-Physiological and Psychological Responses in Amateur Football Referees

El árbitro de fútbol se enfrenta a situaciones estresantes durante la competición deportiva mientras que lleva a cabo acciones físicas de gran exigencia para estar cerca de la jugada que conlleva una demanda fisiológica elevada. Los objetivos de este estudio son conocer las diferentes respuestas físicas, fisiológicas y psicológicas y sus interrelaciones en competición real en árbitros de fútbol amateurs y analizar el efecto de la categoría arbitrada con las características psicológicas relacionadas con el rendimiento. Participaron 15 árbitros pertenecientes al Comité Andaluz de Árbitros de Fútbol y se recogieron datos en 21 partidos de sus correspondientes ligas durante la temporada 2016-2017. Los resultados indicaron que los árbitros tienen una respuesta fisiológica menor en la segunda parte del partido, poseen mayor ansiedad somática y menor autoconfianza, control del estrés, motivación, habilidad mental y cohesión de equipo en los partidos de competición en comparación con la muestra basal (p < .05). Existen diversas correlaciones psico-fisiológicas entre el control del estrés con frecuencia cardíaca menor al 80% (positiva) y con frecuencia cardíaca superior al 80% (negativa) (p < .05). Como conclusión, el árbitro de fútbol amateur se expone a situaciones de estrés, el cual, el control de ésta, guarda relación con las respuestas fisiológicas producidas en competición, de forma que los árbitros con menor control del estrés desarrollan más respuestas fisiológicas en competición, lo que puede provocar tomar decisiones con un grado elevado de fatiga. Estos hallazgos pueden aconsejar al árbitro de fútbol complementar los entrenamientos con programas de intervención psicológicos para aumentar el control del estrés.(AU)

O árbitro de futebol enfrenta situações estressantes durante a competição esportiva enquanto realiza ações físicas de grande exigência para estar perto do jogo que implica uma demanda fisiológica elevada. Os objetivos deste estudo são conhecer as diferentes respostas físicas, fisiológicas e psicológicas e suas inter-relações em competição real em árbitros de futebol amadores e analisar o efeito da categoria arbitrada com as características psicológicas relacionadas com o desempenho. Participaram 15 árbitros pertencentes ao Comité Andaluz de Árbitros de Futebol e foram recolhidos dados em 21 jogos das suas ligas durante a temporada 2016-2017. Os resultados indicaram que os árbitros têm uma resposta fisiológica menor na segunda parte do partido, possuem maior ansiedade somática e menor autoconfiança, controle do estresse, motivação, capacidade mental e coesão de equipa nos jogos de competição em comparação com a amostra basal (p < .05). Existem diversas correlações psico-fisiológicas entre o controle do estresse com freqüência cardíaca inferior a 80% (positiva) e com freqüência cardíaca superior a 80% (negativa) (p < .05). Em conclusão, o árbitro de futebol amador expõe-se a situações de stress que, sob o seu controlo, estão relacionadas com as respostas fisiológicas produzidas em competição, de forma que os árbitros com menor controle do estresse desenvolvem mais respostas fisiológicas em competição, o que pode provocar decisões com um elevado grau de fadiga. Estes achados podem aconselhar o árbitro de futebol a complementar os treinos com programas de intervenção psicológicos para aumentar o controle do estresse.(AU)

The football referee faces stressful situations during the sports competition while performing physical actions of great demand to be close to the play that entails a high physiological demand. The objectives of this study are to know the different physical responses, physiological and psychological and their interrelationships in real competition in amateur football referees and analyze the effect of the referee category with the psychological characteristics related to performance. 15 referees from the Andalusian Committee of Football Referees participated and data were collected in 21 matches of their respective leagues during the 2016-2017 season. The results indicated that the referees have a lower physiological response in the second part of the game, have greater somatic anxiety and lower self-confidence, stress control, motivation, mental ability and team cohesion in competition matches compared to baseline (p < .05). There are several psycho-physiological correlations between stress control with heart rate less than 80% (positive) and heart rate greater than 80% (negative) (p < .05). In conclusion, the amateur football referee is exposed to situations of stress, which, control of this, is related to physiological responses produced in competition, so that referees with less stress control develop more physiological responses in competition, which can lead to decisions with a high degree of fatigue. These findings may advise the football referee to supplement training with psychological intervention programs to increase stress control.(AU)

Variabilidade dos níveis de ansiedade pré-competitiva ao longo de uma competição: estudo de caso com o basquetebol / Variability of pvariability of pre-competitive anxiety levels during a competition: a case study with basketball

O presente manuscrito teve o objetivo de avaliar a variabilidade dos níveis de ansiedade pré-competitiva de atletas de Basquetebol ao longo de uma competição, utilizando-se de um estudo de caso. Para isso, acompanhou-se uma pequena amostra de um clube, que foi escolhida por conveniência. O estudo foi composto por 27 atletas de Basquetebol das categorias de base do clube, com idade entre 13 e 15 anos (M = 14,00, DP ± 0,733) e todos do sexo masculino, pertencentes a duas categorias da base: sub-15 e sub-14, que eram treinados pela mesma comissão técnica. Os atletas participaram do estudo de forma voluntária. Os participantes preencheram o termo de assentimento, pois todos eram menores de idade, e seus responsáveis preencheram o termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido. Após essa etapa, todos os atletas responderam ao CSAI-2r, o qual foi respondido em seis jogos ao longo do campeonato, sendo o primeiro jogo a estreia das equipes e o sexto jogo a final da competição. No presente estudo, como não houve normalidade dos dados, utilizou -se de testes não paramétricos para análises dos resultados. Os resultados demonstraram que não houve diferenças entre as equipes, para nenhuma variável e jogo avaliado (p>0,05). Os atletas investigados apresentaram, durante toda a competição, elevados níveis de autoconfiança e baixos níveis de ansiedade (somática e cognitiva) (p<0,05 em todos os jogos). Além disso, no decorrer da competição os atletas conseguiram, diminuir os níveis de ansiedade somática (p<0,05). Por fim, pode-se concluir que os atletas investigados não apresentaram elevados níveis de ansiedade, pois a autoconfiança foi significativamente (p<0,05) superior, e apresentaram variabilidade apenas para ansiedade somática (p<0,05) ao long. (AU)

The present manuscript aimed to assess the variability of the pre-competitive anxiety levels of Basketball athletes throughout a competition, using a case study. For this, a small sample of a club was followed, which was chosen for convenience. The study consisted of 27 basketball athletes from the club's grassroots categories, aged between 13 and 15 years (M = 14,00, DP ± 0,733) old and all male, belonging to two categories of the base: sub-15 and sub-14, who were trained by the same technical committee. The athletes participated in the study voluntarily. The participants filled out the consent form, since all were minors, and their guardians filled out the free and informed consent form. After this stage, all athletes responded to CSAI-2r, which was answered in six games throughout the championship, the first game being the teams' debut and the sixth game the final of the competition. In the present study, as there was no normality of the data , non-parametric tests were used to analyze the results. The results showed that there were no differences between the teams, for any variable the game evaluated (p>0,05). The investigated athletes presented, throughout the competition, high levels of self-confidence and low levels of anxiety (somatic and cognitive) (p<0,05 in all games). In addition, during the competition, the athletes were able to reduce the levels of somatic anxiety (p <0,05). Finally, it can be concluded that the investigated athletes did not show high levels of anxiety, as their self-confidence was significantly (p <0.05) higher, and showed variability only for somatic anxiety (p <0.05) throughout the competition (decreased scores), given that cognitive anxiety and self-confidence did not show variability throughout the competition (p> 0.05). (AU)

Can biofeedback training of psychophysiological responses enhance athletes' sport performance? A practitioner's perspective.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, biofeedback has become increasingly popular for its proven success in peak performance training - the psychophysiological preparation of athletes for high-stakes sport competitions, such as the Olympic games. The aim of this research was to test whether an 8-week period of exposure to biofeedback training could improve the psychophysiological control over competitive anxiety and enhance athletic performance in participating subjects. METHODS: Participants of this study were highly competent athletes, each training in different sport disciplines. The experimental group consisted of 18 athletes (4 women, 14 men), whereas the Control group had 21 athletes (4 women, 17 men). All athletes were between 16 and 34 years old. The biofeedback device, Nexus 10, was used to detect and measure the psychophysiological responses of athletes. Athletes from both groups (control and experimental) were subjected to stress tests at the beginning of the study and once again at its conclusion. In between, the experimental group received training in biofeedback techniques. We then calculated the overall percentage of athletes in the experimental group compared with those in the control group who were able to control respiration, skin conductance, heart rate, blood flow amplitude, heart rate variability, and heart respiration coherence. One year following completion of the initial study, we questioned athletes from the experimental group, to determine whether they continued to use these skills and if they could detect any subsequent enhancement in their athletic performance. RESULTS: We demonstrated that a greater number of participants in the experimental group were able to successfully control their psychophysiological parameters, in comparison to their peers in the control group. Significant results (p < 0.05) were noted in regulation of GSR following short stress test conditions (p = 0.037), in regulation of HR after exposure to STROOP stressor (p = 0.037), in regulation of GSR following the Math and GSR stressors (p = 0.033, p = 0.409) and in achieving HR - breathing coherence following the math stressor (p = 0.042). CONCLUSION: One year following completion of the training program, all participants from the experimental group indicated that they were still using the biofeedback - psycho-regulation skills. Furthermore, these participants uniformly reported believing that these skills had enhanced their athletic performance and general well-being.