Attentional distraction and perfectionism: A test of competing models of moderation and mediation in the cognitive anxiety-performance relationship

The present study examined competing models of the cognitive anxiety-performance relationship. The first model tested attentional distraction as a mediator between cognitive anxiety and two performance indicators: getting a hit and coaches' ratings of performance. The second model examined attentional distraction as a moderator of the cognitive anxiety-performance relationship (again, using getting a hit and coaches' ratings as performance indicators). Data were collected from 102 high school baseball and softball players from the West and Midwest. Results revealed that attentional distraction neither mediated nor moderated the relationship between cognitive anxiety and performance. However, results revealed a significant relationship between cognitive anxiety and attentional distraction, and a potential trend towards significance between cognitive anxiety and getting a hit. Results also revealed a significant relationship between attentional distraction and coaches' ratings of performance. Although analyses revealed that attentional distraction neither moderated nor mediated the cognitive anxiety-performance relationship, evidence of a potential indirect model emerged, with cognitive anxiety predicting attentional distraction, which predicted coaches' ratings of performance. In addition, the present study examined four dimensions of perfectionism as mediators in the cognitive anxiety-performance relationship. Results revealed that none of the perfectionism dimensions mediated the proposed relationship. However, cognitive anxiety significantly predicted Concern over Mistakes and overall perfectionism. Exploratory gender analyses revealed that attentional distraction did not mediate the cognitive anxiety-performance relationship for males or females. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice follow a discussion of the results.