Relationship between Self-Confidence and Performance Anxiety in Elite Female Racquet Sports Players

Relationship between Self-Confidence and Performance Anxiety in Elite Female Racquet Sports Players

By: Dinesh, N., & Solanki, H.

Cite: Dinesh, N., & Solanki, H. (2025). Relationship between Self-Confidence and Performance Anxiety in Elite Female Racquet Sports Players. In Journal of Ethics Equity and Empowerment (Vol. 1, Number 1). Indian Institute of Industrial and Social Research. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17519812

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between self-confidence and performance anxiety among elite female racquet sports players aged 12–15 years. This study aimed to determine whether these psychological constructs differ between badminton and tennis athletes and to what extent self-confidence predicts performance anxiety, addressing gender and developmental gaps in youth sports psychology.

Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional comparative design was employed with 40 elite female athletes (20 badminton and 20 tennis players) recruited from national training centers in Japan. Participants completed the Sport Confidence Inventory (SCI) and the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2). Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations, independent t-tests, and multiple regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 28.

Findings: A strong negative correlation (r = .74, p < .001) was found between self-confidence and performance anxiety. Tennis players reported significantly higher self-confidence and lower anxiety than badminton players. Regression analysis revealed that self-confidence was the strongest predictor of performance anxiety, explaining 55% of variance. The results underscore adolescence as a critical developmental window for psychological interventions.

Practical implications: The findings highlight the need for sport-specific psychological interventions. Coaches should integrate confidence-building and anxiety regulation techniques, such as mastery experiences, pre-performance routines, and mental skills training, particularly in badminton. Ensuring equitable psychological support for young female athletes is essential for both their performance and empowerment.

Originality: This study contributes novel insights by integrating age, gender, and sports context into a single framework. It extends confidence–anxiety models to adolescent female racquet athletes, advancing the ethics-equity-empowerment perspective in applied sports psychology.

References

Du, Y., Xia, Y., Wang, L., Zhang, T., & Ju, L. (2024). The influence of psychological change factors of tennis training strategy using optimized recurrent neural network and artificial intelligence. Heliyon, 10(13), e33273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33273

Duncan, M. J., Chan, C. K. Y., Clarke, N. D., Cox, M., & Smith, M. (2016). The effect of badminton-specific exercise on badminton short-serve performance in competition and practice climates. European Journal of Sport Science, 17(2), 119–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2016.1203362

Fernandes, H. M., Costa, H., Esteves, P., Machado-Rodrigues, A. M., & Fonseca, T. (2024). Direct and Indirect Effects of Youth Sports Participation on Emotional Intelligence, Self-Esteem, and Life Satisfaction. Sports, 12(6), 155. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12060155

Filipcic, A., Filipcic, T., Leskosek, B., & Crespo, M. (2021). Matchplay characteristics and performance indicators of male junior and entry professional tennis players. International Journal of Sports Science &amp; Coaching, 16(3), 768–776. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954120988002

Gäbler, M., Granacher, U., Hortobágyi, T., & Prieske, O. (2018). The Effects of Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training on Physical Fitness and Athletic Performance in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01057

González-Hernández, J., Gomariz-Gea, M., Valero-Valenzuela, A., & Gómez-López, M. (2020). Resilient Resources in Youth Athletes and Their Relationship with Anxiety in Different Team Sports. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(15), 5569. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155569

Hurrelmann, K., & Quenzel, G. (2018). Developmental Tasks in Adolescence. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429452055

Ihsan, F., Kozina, Z., Nasrulloh, A., & Nugroho, S. (2024). Optimizing Physical Conditioning Programs for Badminton Athletes: A Comprehensive Review of Training Strategies – A Systematic Review. Retos, 54, 488–498. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v54.103208

Jawad, M. J., Hadi, N. R., Abbas, M. M., Jawad, M. J., & Hassan, S. M. (2021). MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS POST COVID-19 OUTBREAK. Wiadomości Lekarskie, 74(12), 3156–3159. https://doi.org/10.36740/wlek202112106

Joyner, M. J., Hunter, S. K., & Senefeld, J. W. (2024). Evidence on sex differences in sports performance. Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 138(1), 274–281. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00615.2024

Kilit, B., & Arslan, E. (2017). Physiological responses and time-motion characteristics of young tennis players: comparison of serve vs. return games and winners vs. losers matches. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 17(5), 684–694. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2017.1381470

Kim, A. C. H., Fontes-Comber, A., Park, S. H., & Kim, S. (2019). Psychological and social outcomes of sport participation for older adults: a systematic review. Ageing and Society, 40(7), 1529–1549. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x19000175

Koulanova, A., Sabiston, C. M., Pila, E., Brunet, J., Sylvester, B., Sandmeyer-Graves, A., & Maginn, D. (2021). Ideas for action: Exploring strategies to address body image concerns for adolescent girls involved in sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 56, 102017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.102017

Lee, Y.-H., Chang, J., Lee, J.-E., Jung, Y.-S., Lee, D., & Lee, H.-S. (2024). Essential elements of physical fitness analysis in male adolescent athletes using machine learning. PLOS ONE, 19(4), e0298870. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298870

Liao, K.-F., Chen, Y.-L., & Meng, F.-W. (2017). The relationship between action inhibition and athletic performance in elite badminton players and non-athletes. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2017.123.02

Marcionetti, J., & Rossier, J. (2019). A Longitudinal Study of Relations Among Adolescents’ Self-Esteem, General Self-Efficacy, Career Adaptability, and Life Satisfaction. Journal of Career Development, 48(4), 475–490. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845319861691

Meng, F.-W., Yao, Z.-F., Chang, E. C., & Chen, Y.-L. (2019). Team sport expertise shows superior stimulus-driven visual attention and motor inhibition. PLOS ONE, 14(5), e0217056. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217056

Mojtahedi, D., Hillier, M., Papageorgiou, K., Perry, J., Dewhurst, S., Clough, P., Denovan, A., & Dagnall, N. (2023). Competition Anxiety in Combat Sports and the Importance of Mental Toughness. Behavioral Sciences, 13(9), 713. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13090713

Pardiwala, D. N., Modi, R., Subbiah, K., & Rao, N. (2020). Badminton Injuries in Elite Athletes: A Review of Epidemiology and Biomechanics. Indian Journal of Orthopaedics, 54(3), 237–245. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43465-020-00054-1

Reinebo, G., Alfonsson, S., Jansson-Fröjmark, M., Rozental, A., & Lundgren, T. (2023). Effects of Psychological Interventions to Enhance Athletic Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.z.), 54(2), 347–373. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01931-z

Rullestad, A., Meland, E., & Mildestvedt, T. (2021). Factors Predicting Physical Activity and Sports Participation in Adolescence. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2021(8), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9105953

Salleh, R. M., Kuan, G., Aziz, M. N. A., Rahim, M. R. A., Rahayu, T., Sulaiman, S., Kusuma, D. W. Y., Adikari, A. M. G. C. P., Razam, M. S. M., Radhakrishnan, A. K., & Appukutty, M. (2021). Effects of Probiotics on Anxiety, Stress, Mood and Fitness of Badminton Players. Nutrients, 13(6), 1783. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061783

Tingelstad, L. M., Raastad, T., Till, K., & Luteberget, L. S. (2023). The development of physical characteristics in adolescent team sport athletes: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 18(12), e0296181. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296181

Vogel, K., Larsen, B., Mclellan, C., & Bird, S. P. (2023). Female Athletes and the Menstrual Cycle in Team Sports: Current State of Play and Considerations for Future Research. Sports, 12(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12010004

Walter, N., Nikoleizig, L., & Alfermann, D. (2019). Effects of Self-Talk Training on Competitive Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, Volitional Skills, and Performance: An Intervention Study with Junior Sub-Elite Athletes. Sports, 7(6), 148. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7060148

Yang, L., Zhang, Z., Zhang, J., & Veloo, A. (2024). The relationship between competitive anxiety and athlete burnout in college athlete: the mediating roles of competence and autonomy. BMC Psychology, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01888-2

Zhang, Z., Chen, X., Xu, L., Qin, X., & Veloo, A. (2024). Sport anxiety and subjective happiness of college athletes: a self-determination theory perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1400094