Stress and AnxietyStress and Anxiety

AnxietyAnxiety

• A negative emotional state A negative emotional state characterised by nervousness, worry characterised by nervousness, worry and apprehension and associated and apprehension and associated with activation and arousal of the with activation and arousal of the body.body.

Trait anxiety: an acquired disposition that predisposes a person to perceive a wide range of objectively non-dangerous circumstances as threatening and to respond to these with disproportionate state anxiety levels.

Arousal: a general physiological and psychological activation of the organism that varies on a continuum from deep sleep to intense excitement.

State anxiety: moment to moment changes in feelings of nervousness, worry and apprehension associated with arousal of the body.

Cognitive state anxiety: moment to moment changes in worries and negative thoughts.

Somatic state anxiety: moment to moment changes in perceived physiological arousal.

Measuring arousal and Measuring arousal and anxietyanxiety

• Measuring arousal requires Measuring arousal requires looking at changes in looking at changes in physiological signs e.g. HR, physiological signs e.g. HR, respiration, skin respiration, skin conductance and conductance and biochemistry. biochemistry.

• People can also rate their People can also rate their arousal with a series of arousal with a series of statements.statements.

• To measure state or trait To measure state or trait anxiety psychologists anxiety psychologists use global and use global and multidimensional self-multidimensional self-report scales. report scales.

• E.g. CSAI-2 is the E.g. CSAI-2 is the cognitive state anxiety cognitive state anxiety inventory version 2. inventory version 2. SCAT is the sport SCAT is the sport competition trait anxiety competition trait anxiety test.test.

Relationship between state Relationship between state and trait anxietyand trait anxiety

• AA direct (although not perfect) relationship exists between direct (although not perfect) relationship exists between a person’s levels of trait and state anxiety. a person’s levels of trait and state anxiety.

• Those who score highly on trait measure of anxiety also Those who score highly on trait measure of anxiety also score highly on state measures of anxiety in evaluative score highly on state measures of anxiety in evaluative situations. situations.

• A highly trait anxious athlete may be very experienced in a A highly trait anxious athlete may be very experienced in a particular situation and for that reason not perceive a particular situation and for that reason not perceive a threat and therefore not suffer from state anxiety OR some threat and therefore not suffer from state anxiety OR some highly trait anxious people learn coping strategies to highly trait anxious people learn coping strategies to reduce their state anxiety in evaluative situations. reduce their state anxiety in evaluative situations.

• Knowing a person’s level of trait anxiety will generally help Knowing a person’s level of trait anxiety will generally help to predict how they will behave in competition.to predict how they will behave in competition.

Stress and the stress Stress and the stress processprocess

StressStress

• Stress is defined as: a substantial Stress is defined as: a substantial imbalance between demand imbalance between demand (physical or psychological) and (physical or psychological) and response capability, under conditions response capability, under conditions where failure to meet the demand where failure to meet the demand has important consequences. has important consequences. (McGrath 1970)(McGrath 1970)

Environmental demand

(physical or psychological)

Individual’s perception of the environmental demand. (amount of psychological or physical threat perceived)

Stress response (physical or psychological)

•Arousal

•State anxiety (cognitive and somatic)

•Muscle tension

•Attention changes

Behavioural consequences (performance or outcome)

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Explanation of stagesExplanation of stages

• Stage 1 Stage 1 • A physical or psychological A physical or psychological

demand is placed on the demand is placed on the individual.individual.

• Stage 2Stage 2 • The individual makes a The individual makes a

perception about the perception about the demand based on what demand based on what they think their ability to they think their ability to meet the demand is. meet the demand is.

• If the person perceives an If the person perceives an imbalance between what is imbalance between what is being asked and what they being asked and what they can do, the stress process can do, the stress process continues. continues.

• Trait anxious people tend Trait anxious people tend to view more situations as to view more situations as threatening which has an threatening which has an influence at this stage.influence at this stage.

Explanation of stagesExplanation of stages

• Stage 3Stage 3• This is the individual’s This is the individual’s

physical and psychological physical and psychological response to the perception response to the perception of the situation. of the situation.

• If an imbalance between If an imbalance between demands and response demands and response capability is perceived, capability is perceived, there will be increased there will be increased state anxiety, increased state anxiety, increased worries, heightened worries, heightened physiological activation, physiological activation, possible changes in possible changes in concentration and concentration and increased muscle tension.increased muscle tension.

• Stage 4 Stage 4 • This is the actual This is the actual

behaviour of the individual. behaviour of the individual. • Performance may decline Performance may decline

due to the problems of due to the problems of state anxiety or improve state anxiety or improve because of increased because of increased intensity. intensity.

• This stage feeds back into This stage feeds back into the first stage. E.g. a pupil the first stage. E.g. a pupil demonstrates in front of a demonstrates in front of a class but fails, the others class but fails, the others laugh and this then laugh and this then becomes another demand becomes another demand on the pupil, so the cycle on the pupil, so the cycle continues.continues.

Responding to stressResponding to stress

• Individuals all respond differently to stress but the most common Individuals all respond differently to stress but the most common psychological reactions are anger, apathy and anxiety.psychological reactions are anger, apathy and anxiety.

• Physiological reactions include activation of the sympathetic Physiological reactions include activation of the sympathetic autonomic nervous system, resulting in increased levels of autonomic nervous system, resulting in increased levels of adrenaline, blood sugar, HR and blood pressure (flight or fight adrenaline, blood sugar, HR and blood pressure (flight or fight response). response).

• If stress is prolonged Seyle (1956) states that following the alarm If stress is prolonged Seyle (1956) states that following the alarm reaction stage (noted above) there is a resistance stage where the reaction stage (noted above) there is a resistance stage where the body tries to revert to normal functioning thus coping with the body tries to revert to normal functioning thus coping with the increased adrenaline.increased adrenaline.

• Continued stress results in exhaustion or collapse. Whilst trying to Continued stress results in exhaustion or collapse. Whilst trying to deal with the increased stress the body has gradually depleated deal with the increased stress the body has gradually depleated its’ own resources. The adrenal cortex fails to function correctly its’ own resources. The adrenal cortex fails to function correctly and this results in physiological problems like ulcers, heart disease and this results in physiological problems like ulcers, heart disease and high blood pressure. and high blood pressure.

• This model is called the General Adaptation Model (GAS)This model is called the General Adaptation Model (GAS)

Causes of StressCauses of Stress

• There are literally thousands of causes of There are literally thousands of causes of stress, from major life events such as stress, from major life events such as marrying or moving house to daily hassles marrying or moving house to daily hassles like loosing your keys or the car breaking like loosing your keys or the car breaking down. down.

• For athletes there are factors like For athletes there are factors like performing up to standard, financial costs or performing up to standard, financial costs or time for training, self doubt about talent or time for training, self doubt about talent or relationship issues with team mates or the relationship issues with team mates or the coach.coach.

Situational sources of stress

Event Importance

Generally the more important the event,

the more stress provoking it is. E.g.

a championship game over a regular

season game.

Uncertainty

The greater the uncertainty about the outcome of the

event the greater the stress.

E.g. not knowing the starting line up for the game.

Other sources include competition, frustration, conflict, personal, physiological/ climatic and the

audience. Make notes about what these are under the above headings (Sport and PE P635-636)

Social Physique AnxietySocial Physique Anxiety

• A personality disposition defined as ‘the A personality disposition defined as ‘the degree to which people become anxious degree to which people become anxious when others observe their physique’ when others observe their physique’ (Hart, Leary and Rejeski 1989) (Hart, Leary and Rejeski 1989)

• People with high social physique anxiety People with high social physique anxiety will experience stress during fitness will experience stress during fitness evaluations and tend to avoid fitness evaluations and tend to avoid fitness situations.situations.

Eustress (good stress)Eustress (good stress)

• Many sports performers e.g. rock climbers Many sports performers e.g. rock climbers actively seek out sources of stress in order actively seek out sources of stress in order to test their capabilities to the limit. to test their capabilities to the limit.

• Some claim that being in stressful situations Some claim that being in stressful situations helps the focus, pay attention and generally helps the focus, pay attention and generally develop skills and enjoyment in the context develop skills and enjoyment in the context of sport. of sport.

• The positive benefits in terms of self The positive benefits in terms of self satisfaction and enhanced intrinsic satisfaction and enhanced intrinsic motivation gained from having coped with a motivation gained from having coped with a stressful situation are seen as greater then stressful situation are seen as greater then the negative impact of stress.the negative impact of stress.