THE INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF INTENSITY AND DIRECTION OF COGNITIVE AND SOMATIC ANXIETY AND SELF-CONFIDENCE UPON PERFORMANCE

This study examines intensity and direction of competitive state anxie ty symptoms, and the interactive influence of anxiety subcomponents up on netball performance. Netball players (N = 45) completed the modifie d Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) and a retrospective p erformance measure over a season, utilizing an intraindividual design. The modified CSAI-2 includes a direction scale assessing the facilita tive or debilitative interpretation of the original intensity symptoms . Although the facilitative influence of anxiety upon performance did not emerge directly through the direction scale, a significant interac tion emerged from the two-factor Cognitive Anxiety x Physiological Aro usal quadrant analyses, suggesting that anxiety may enhance performanc e, as proposed by catastrophe model predictions. Findings also highlig hted the importance of self-confidence for possible inclusion in highe r order catastrophe models.