Relationship between the anxiety and performance of a basketball team during competition

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess trait and state anxiety in a sample of basketball players and their performance in competition, in addition to comparing players' anxiety when playing against rivals of different levels. The sample was composed of 10 players from a basketball team of the Spanish Amateur Basketball League. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-S (STAI-S) was utilized for the evaluation of state and trait anxiety. Performance of the players was measured during two games utilizing the official statistics of the Spanish Basketball Federation (overall rating, which is the sum of total points, rebounds, fouls received, recovered balls, and assists; and the subtraction of missed shots, fouls made, and turnovers; fouls committed; free throw percentage; 2- and 3-point field goal percentages; and points scored). One game was against a rival of high performance level and one was of lower level. The results demonstrated a positive correlation between pre-competitive state anxiety and turnovers and a negative correlation between pre-competitive state anxiety and percentage of two-point field goals. The pre-competitive state anxiety was higher when the rival was higher ranked.