Impact of intrinsic motivation on competitive anxiety among wheelchair handball athletes

Abstract

Motivation and anxiety have been a recurring theme of debates in sport and understand its relevance to competitive practice and the effects on athletes become essential. This study aimed to investigate the impact of intrinsic motivation on the anxiety of wheelchair handball (WH) athletes. The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS) were applied to 37 male athletes (34.18 ± 9.32 years), physically disabled, participating in the Brazilian WH championship. Data analysis was conducted through Shapiro Wilk test, Pearson correlation and Multiple Regression (p<0.05). As a result, the subscales of intrinsic motivation showed high scores both in the subscales that contribute positively (Pleasure/Interest, Competence and Perception of effort), and in the subscale that contributes negatively (Pressure/Tension). Regarding the impact of motivation on competitive anxiety, the athlete feeling competent explained inversely 15% of the somatic anxiety variance. Competence had a negative impact and Pressure/Tension had a positive impact on the Concern subscale. In addition, the pleasure/Interest, Pressure/Tension and Perception of Effort subscales explained 31% of the variance of Concentration Disorder, indicating that the greater the perception of pleasure from practice and effort in the face of tasks, the less disturbances in concentration, and the higher the pressure/tension score (less pressure perception), the greater the disturbance of the athlete's concentration. It was concluded that intrinsic motivation is a determinant factor for the control of competitive anxiety in WH athletes.