Coping styles and self-reported measures of state anxiety and self-confidence

Abstract

Four stress coping styles in intercollegiate golfers (N = 112) were differentiated based on low and high combinations of repressive defensiveness (scores on the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale) and competitive trait anxiety (scores on the Sport Competition Anxiety Test). The results indicated biased responding on the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) occurs only for repressors (high Marlowe-Crowne, low competitive trait anxiety). Repressors reported higher self-confidence and similar state anxiety as that reported by truly low anxious subjects (low Marlowe-Crowne, low competitive trait anxiety). High social desirability responders who were considered defensive high-anxious (high Marlowe-Crowne, high competitive trait anxiety) did not deny disturbing pre-competition cognitions. When predicting tournament performance with the CSAI-2 subscales, over twice as much variance was accounted for with repressors (assumed to have distorted responses) deleted compared to when all golfers were included. There was no evidence that a repressive coping style deters performance. Future researchers and practitioners need to examine whether or not athletes classified as repressors present themselves favorably when responding to anxiety and confidence questions. They also need to determine if a repressive coping style is effective or maladaptive in dealing with performance demands.