Abstract

The aim of the research was to investigate the peculiarities of male and female biathletes’ mental qualities (self-efficacy, emotional state and anxiety) and their interaction with shooting results during the biathlon competition. Research object was selfefficacy, emotional state and anxiety of male and female biathletes before the competition and their interaction with shooting results during the competition. We investigated Lithuanian top female biathletes (n = 7) and top male biathletes (n = 11) three days before the first competition at the beginning of 2010/2011 season. Manifestation of mental qualities was established employing approved methodologies: 1) General Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer, Jerusalem, 1995), 2) Physical Self- Efficacy Scale (Rychman et al., 1982), 3) test of athlete’s emotional state (Malinauskas, 2003), 4) Spielberg-Chanin Situational and Personal Anxiety Scale (Marisciuk, Brudov, 1990), 5) pre-competitive state and anxiety research methodology (Bump, 2000), 6) Competitive Anxiety Scale (Xanin, 1980). We established that 28.6 percent of female biathletes and 72.7 percent of male biathletes demonstrated high levels of general self-efficacy, but very high levels of self-efficacy were observed for 57.1 percent of female biathletes and 27.3 percent of male biathletes. All female biathletes and 90.9 percent of male biathletes demonstrated moderate levels of physical self-efficacy, and 9.1 percent of male biathletes had high level of physical self-efficacy. Physical self-confidence for all female biathletes was moderate, for male biathletes those indices were as follows: moderate for 72.7 percent, high for 9.1 percent and low for 18.2 percent of male biathletes. Physical abilities were moderately evaluated by 85.7 percent of female biathletes and 54.5 percent of male biathletes; however, 27.3 percent of male biathletes evaluated their abilities as high. Well-being, activity and moods of male and female biathletes ranged from 6.2 ± 1.4 and 6.8 ± 1.5 points, 4.1 ± 1.4 and 4.8 ± 1.9 points, 6.6 ± 2.7 and 6.8 ± 2.2 points. Increased pre-competitive anxiety was observed among 71.4 percent of female biathletes and 18.2 percent of male biathletes; 28.6 percent of female biathletes and 18.2 percent of male biathletes reported high levels ofpersonal anxiety. Self-confidence of 71.4 female biathletes and 81.8 percent of male biathletes was moderate. Shooting results (the number of errors) of biathletes correlated with the following variables of the research: cognitive anxiety (r = -0.68); mood (r = 0.44); seif-confidence (r = -0.34). The indices of biathletes’ shooting results correlated with general self-efficacy (r = -0.51), activity (r = -0.35), cognitive anxiety (r = -0.23). Our research revealed differences of mental qualities between men and women, as well as individual differences of physical abilities in the groups of male and female biathletes. The training process of male and female biathletes should be individualized with regard to individual levels of mental qualities. Verf.-Referat