Pre-competition Anxiety between Male and Female Student-Athletes of Jimma University: a multi-dimensional Approach

The purpose of this study was to compare pre-competition anxiety between male and female student-athletes of Jimma University. To do so, a cross-sectional study design was employed, possessing all Jimma university student-athletes’ as the target population (N =113). Proportional random sampling technique was employed to determine the number of male and female student-athletes (n =35 male, n= 35 female). So, an adapted version of Pre-competitive state Anxiety Inventory-2 questioner (CSAI-2), Was administered 30 minutes before an important competition during the sixth Ethiopian public Universities sport festival held in Arbaminch University from Feb.16 - Mar.3/2013, and finally 63 Completed questionnaires were collected (32 from male, 31 from female ones). Mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, and Point biseral Correlation were calculated to analyze the data at the 5% level of significance. The results of the study revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in all pre-competition anxiety subscales: cognitive anxiety (t=1.79), somatic anxiety (t=0.529) and self-confidence (t=0.593), since p > 0.05. Marginal significant relationship exists between gender to pre-competitive anxiety, as well. It is therefore recommended to increase the experience of all student-athletes in different tournaments, friendly matches, teaching to insist on more activities, learning the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition, developing experience of playing in a different venue. Above all, building effective mental training programs in exercise sessions such as goal setting, imagery, rehearsal, relaxation, and self-talk for individual athletes and teams, would increase self-efficacy and performance. Provided that coaches do have the basic knowledge of different coping strategies for different situations that could be passed on to the athletes.