Volume 10, Number 1, September 2014
Revision
Anxiety management techniques
John Ireland
OCR candidates are required to identify, describe and critically evaluate management techniques for
both cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety.
The explanations of anxiety management techniques are reflective of the OCR specification and are
not definitive. All athletes have their own strategies and superstitions to facilitate success. These
combinations, while unique, are infinite if taken across all sports.
Cognitive anxiety management
Mental rehearsal
Imagery or mental rehearsal is possibly the most familiar cognitive anxiety management technique. It
involves creating a mental vision of success or a positive outcome. This technique can be adopted
from an internal perspective. This means players visualise themselves performing the skill as if
physically undertaking it at the time. The advantage of this practice is that a feeling of the skill can be
experienced. This is known as kinaesthetic imagery. The alternative is an external perspective, which
is akin to the athlete observing their own performance as if viewing from film.
Mental rehearsal is an effective aid to memory and works best for the athlete who is skilful and
experienced. The process can help to desensitise a competitor and suppress state arousal prior to
performance.
Thought stopping
Thought stopping involves the athlete in a process that ‘blocks out’ negative thoughts and images.
This technique tends to be effective for people with high state and trait confidence. It is likely,
therefore, that this strategy is better suited to extrovert personalities rather than introverted
personalities because the former are less prone to high anxiety. Thought stopping is implemented best
by participants with a mastery orientation disposition but those with the characteristics of learned
helplessness would find this technique to be difficult.
Positive self-talk
Positive self-talk is used widely by athletes and is very noticeable among elite tennis players. This
method engages the performer in overt verbal encouragement to endorse their ability or progress in a
challenging situation. Once again, this tends to be more accessible for those with an approach to
mastery orientation because these individuals tend to make positive attributions both for failure and
success. It is a difficult technique to implement for people with the characteristics of avoidance
behaviour, for example learned helplessness. It is this group who tend to make negative attributions
causing high state anxiety to be generated when faced with a challenge that is perceived to be a little
above their ability level.
Rational thinking
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Rational thinking commits the athlete to focusing internally and narrowly. It relies on the athlete having
the ability to adjust effectively to this style of attention.
Tip: OCR students are encouraged to understand Nideffer’s model of attention styles.
Rational thinking involves reflection on one’s thoughts and feelings regarding a specific skill or
situation. It helps the athlete to evaluate logically both the situation and possible outcome. This
process works well for the performer who is confident, experienced and conscious of previous
success. The inexperienced participant or one lacking in confidence would be unable to make a logical
evaluation.
Somatic anxiety management
Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a somatic anxiety management technique that involves monitoring the physiological
changes that take place in the body as anxiety increases. An electrocardiograph, for example,
displays the pattern of heart rate, which would reflect a quickening trend with the onset of anxiety. It is
believed that observation of this trace can help a performer to control heart rate and therefore reduce
anxiety.
Biofeedback provides objective results and there is strong evidence that it can help to reduce anxiety.
However, this technique is time consuming and requires access to, and implementation of,
sophisticated equipment.
Progressive muscular relaxation
Progressive muscular relaxation is a somatic technique devised by Jacobson (1929). The method
requires the athlete to create tension simultaneously in all muscle groups. Each group is then slowly
relaxed in turn.
Further reading
Jarvis M. (2006) Sport Psychology: A Student’s Handbook, Routledge.
This resource is part of PE REVIEW, a magazine written for A-level students by subject experts. To
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