Research on the Interactive Relationship between Pre-competition State Anxiety and Peer Support of College Athletes: A Case Study of Zhaoqing University

Abstract

This study aims to explore the interactive relationship between pre-competition state anxiety and peer support among college athlete-students, using Zhaoqing University as a case for empirical analysis. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 286 athletes from 12 sports teams at Zhaoqing University, using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) and the Athlete Peer Support Scale. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to deepen the quantitative results. The findings indicate that: (1) the overall pre-competition state anxiety among athletes at Zhaoqing University is above the medium level, with the highest score in the somatic anxiety dimension; (2) the overall level of peer support is relatively high, especially in terms of emotional and informational support; (3) correlation analysis shows that peer support and its dimensions have a significant negative correlation with cognitive and somatic state anxiety, and a significant positive correlation with state self-confidence; (4) regression analysis confirms that peer support is an effective variable in predicting pre-competition state anxiety, especially in alleviating cognitive anxiety; (5) there are inter-group differences in anxiety and support among athletes of different sports, genders, and sports levels. Conclusion: High-level peer support is a key protective factor in alleviating pre-competition state anxiety and enhancing state self-confidence among college athlete-students. It is recommended that university sports team managers and coaches systematically build and optimize team support systems, incorporating peer support interventions into daily psychological training programs to promote athletes' mental health and competitive performance.