| This study sought to test the effectiveness of self-regulatory skill training, anxiety reduction training, and a combination of these approaches in assisting athletes to combat choking in a pressure-filled situation. The impact of training on dart throwing performance, anxiety, self-efficacy, goal setting, attributions, adaptive responses, and self-reactions was explored. Forty-five males and thirty-five females (N = 80) who qualified as intermediate dart throwers and chokers participated on two separate occasions.;Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups or a control group based on the presence or absence of anxiety reduction and self-regulatory skill training. All data analyses were conducted on data collected during the second assessment period under stressed conditions, except for an evaluation of choking between the first and second assessment periods under stressed conditions.;It was hypothesized that compared to an anxiety reduction training group or a control group, chokers who received self-regulatory skill training would, under stressed conditions, display significantly higher dart throwing, higher self-efficacy beliefs for dart throwing, more process-oriented goals, more technique-oriented attributions, more technique-oriented adaptive responses, and higher self-reaction. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that compared to a control group, chokers who received self-regulatory skill training or anxiety reduction training would show significantly less performance anxiety prior to stressed test conditions. Finally, those chokers who received the combination of self-regulatory skill training and anxiety reduction training would, under stressed test conditions, show significantly less dart-throwing anxiety compared to all other groups. Partial support was found for the hypotheses. Most significantly, results supported the utility of self-regulatory skill training in combating choking, with those participants who received this form of training performing significantly higher than participants from all other groups on a test of dart throwing performance under stressed conditions. Chi-square analysis indicated a significant association between treatment and goal setting, attributions, and adaptive response in accordance with the hypothesis. The remaining hypotheses were not supported, although the self-regulatory skill training group came very close to meeting statistical significance on measures of self-efficacy, self-reaction, and anxiety. Findings are discussed in terms of clinical implication for coaches and athletes combating choking in athletic competition. |
