Amelia Knaysi | 2026 I.S. Symposium
Name: Amelia Knaysi
Title: The Relation Between Sports Performance Anxiety and Perceived Athletic Performance Within a Competition
Majors: Psychology; English
Advisor: Daniel Scheibe
Sports performance anxiety (SPA) is a common experience among athletes at all levels and has been widely discussed in relation to performance outcomes. However, there are few studies that have actually examined how anxiety is related to perceived performance across a variety of sports and competitive contexts. This study examined the nature of the relation between sports performance anxiety and performance within a competition, specifically examining somatic anxiety, worry, and concentration disruption with particular attention to contextual and demographic influences. Participants completed a pre-competition survey (n = 82) that measures sports performance anxiety using the Sports Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) and a post-competition survey (n = 63) that assesses perceived performance and anxiety. A series of statistical analyses were conducted, including linear regression, chi-square tests, and independent samples t-tests. Results indicated pre-competition anxiety was negatively related to perceived performance; however, this relationship was not statistically significant, B = -0.29, SE = 0.27, p = .296. Athletes reported significantly higher anxiety experienced in the place of competition compared to outside the place of competition, χ²(3) = 62.56, p < .001. Additionally, no significant differences in anxiety levels were found between underclassmen and upperclassmen, t(55.08) = -0.08, p = .402. However, women reported significantly higher levels of pre-competition anxiety as compared to men, t(76) = −2.67, p = .009, d = -0.65. These findings suggest that situational and certain demographic factors may play a greater role in shaping competitive anxiety than individual characteristics such as experience level. Overall, this study highlights the complexity of sports performance anxiety and suggests that future research should further examine contextual influences and athletes’ interpretations of anxiety in competitive settings.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
