PERSONALITY-VARIABLES AS ANTECEDENTS OF PRECOMPETITIVE MOOD STATES

Utilizing Martens's Competitive Process Model (1977) as a unifying framework, the purpose of the present field investigation was to examine personality variables as mediators of precompetitive mood states. Prior to the start of the season, competitive shooters (N = 121) completed the Causal Dimension Scale (Russell, 1982), the Sport Orientation Questionnaire (Gill & Deeter, 1988), the Trait-Sport Confidence Inventory (Vealey, 1986), the Motives to Approach Success and Avoid Failure subscales of the Competition-Related Motives Scale (Willis, 1982), and the Sport Competition Anxiety Test (Martens, 1977). Each shooter then completed an abbreviated version of the Profile of Mood States (Grove & Prapavessis, 1992) 15 minutes prior to three important competitions. MANOVAs and ANOVAs were used to determine if any of the personality variables exerted a significant influence on the individual mood states subscales. Variables that showed a significant relationship to precompetitive mood were than entered into stepwise regression analyses to determine their unique and combined impact in predicting precompetitive mood states. Results revealed significant personality group differences in precompetitive mood for trait-sport confidence, goal-orientation, and attributional style for positive events. These variables accounted for between 3 and 23 percent of the variance (M = 11%) for 6 out of 8 mood state subscales.