Self-efficacy and level of anxiety in young track and field athletes from Paraná.

Resumen

This study analyzed self-efficacy in relation to anxiety level in young track and field athletes from Paraná state. The sample consisted of 75 athletes of both genders with a mean age of 16.76 years. The Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (CSAI-2) was used to assess competitive state anxiety and a structured questionnaire was used to identify self-efficacy. The Kolmogorov--Smirnov, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. The results showed no significant difference in anxiety levels between genders. For women, no significant differences were observed between outcome expectancy and anxiety level. Men who achieved a better result than expected presented a higher anxiety level. In conclusion, athletes with high outcome expectations show higher levels of cognitive and somatic anxiety and self-confidence.