Abstract
Objectives: This study investigated whether positive and negative mastery imagery ability mediated the relationship between confidence and stress appraisals and responses. To determine whether these results were specific to mastery imagery ability, this study also investigated whether another type of imagery ability (affect) mediated these relationships.
Design: Cross-sectional, multi-phase study.
Method: 321 athletes (M age = 20.80 years) completed measures of mastery and affect imagery ability, challenge and threat appraisals, confidence, and anxiety intensity and direction. Using structural equation modeling, structural (i.e., mastery) and alternative (i.e., affect) models were tested for indirect effects.
Results: In Phase 1, positive and negative mastery imagery ability mediated the relationship between confidence and challenge (B = 0.15, p = 0.025) and threat appraisals (B = −0.26, p = 0.003) respectively. Positive affect imagery ability mediated between confidence and challenge appraisals (B = 0.11, p = 0.001), and negative affect mediated between confidence and challenge (B = 0.03, p = 0.038) and threat appraisals (B = −0.06, p = 0.029). In Phase 2, positive (B = −0.09, p = 0.021) and negative (B = −0.10, p = 0.001) mastery imagery ability mediated between confidence and cognitive anxiety intensity, whereas neither positive nor negative affect imagery ability mediated this relationship.
Conclusions: Training athletes how to increase positive mastery imagery ability to combat negative imagery could directly influence stress appraisals and cognitive anxiety intensity, but affect imagery ability may also be important for impacting challenge and threat appraisals.
Design: Cross-sectional, multi-phase study.
Method: 321 athletes (M age = 20.80 years) completed measures of mastery and affect imagery ability, challenge and threat appraisals, confidence, and anxiety intensity and direction. Using structural equation modeling, structural (i.e., mastery) and alternative (i.e., affect) models were tested for indirect effects.
Results: In Phase 1, positive and negative mastery imagery ability mediated the relationship between confidence and challenge (B = 0.15, p = 0.025) and threat appraisals (B = −0.26, p = 0.003) respectively. Positive affect imagery ability mediated between confidence and challenge appraisals (B = 0.11, p = 0.001), and negative affect mediated between confidence and challenge (B = 0.03, p = 0.038) and threat appraisals (B = −0.06, p = 0.029). In Phase 2, positive (B = −0.09, p = 0.021) and negative (B = −0.10, p = 0.001) mastery imagery ability mediated between confidence and cognitive anxiety intensity, whereas neither positive nor negative affect imagery ability mediated this relationship.
Conclusions: Training athletes how to increase positive mastery imagery ability to combat negative imagery could directly influence stress appraisals and cognitive anxiety intensity, but affect imagery ability may also be important for impacting challenge and threat appraisals.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-9 |
| Journal | Psychology of Sport and Exercise |
| Volume | 35 |
| Early online date | 31 Oct 2017 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 2018 |