Intensity and Direction of Precompetitive Anxiety: A Study of the Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning Theory in Swimming

Abstract

Precompetitive anxiety is among the psychological variables that influence the outcome of a competition. Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning theory (IZOF) is among the prominent approaches used to better comprehend the anxiety–performance relationship. The present study set out to extend past research on IZOF theory by incorporating the multidimensional approach of anxiety and the concept of facilitativedebilitative anxiety. The sample of the study consisted of 12 national level swimmers, who retrospectively completed Competitive State Anxiety Inventory–2 (CSAI-2) to determine the zone of optimal functioning. The swimmers took part in 5 competitions during a competitive season. Prior each competition athletes completed CSAI-2 to determine the intensity and direction of cognitive and somatic anxiety. Performance was derived from the national swimming federation archives. The results supported the tenets of IZOF theory for both intensity and direction of multidimensional anxiety. Swimmers’ best performances were achieved when anxiety levels were within each athlete’s zone of optimal functioning. The study findings support the IZOF theory both in terms of multidimensional anxiety and facilitative-debilitative anxiety. Im-portant practical implications can be derived about the effect of precompetitive anxiety on swimming per-formance.