IMPACT OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION ON COMPETITIVE ANXIETY AMONG WHEELCHAIR HANDBALL ATHLETES

ABSTRACT Motivation and anxiety have been a recurrent theme in debates around sports, and understanding their relevance for competitive practice and their effects on athletes becomes imperative. This study aimed to investigate the impact of intrinsic motivation on the anxiety of Wheelchair Handball (WCH) athletes. The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS) were applied to 37 male athletes (34.18 ± 9.32 years old) with physical disabilities and participating in the Brazilian WCH championship. Data analysis was conducted by means of the Shapiro-Wilk, Pearson’s Correlation and Multiple Linear Regression tests (p < 0.05). As a result, the intrinsic motivation subscales presented high scores both on the subscales that contribute positively (Pleasure/Interest, Competence, and Perceived exertion) and on the subscale that contributes negatively (Pressure/Tension). As for the impact of motivation on competitive anxiety, the athlete feeling competent inversely explained 15% of the variance of somatic anxiety. Competence presented a negative impact, and Pressure/Tension, a positive impact on the Concern subscale. Additionally, the Pleasure/Interest, Pressure/Tension and Perceived exertion subscales explained 31% of the variance of anxiety related to Disturbance of concentration, indicating that the greater the perception of pleasure with the practice and the greater the effort towards tasks, the less disturbance in concentration, and that the higher the pressure/tension score (lower perception of pressure), the greater the disturbance in the athlete’s concentration. It was concluded that intrinsic motivation is a determining factor for controlling competitive anxiety in WCH athletes.