Gould, D., Weiss, M., & Weinberg, R. (1981). Psychological characteristics of successful and nonsuccessful Big Ten wrestlers. Journal of Sport Psychology, 3, 69-81.

1980 Big Ten Championship tournament wrestlers completed a psychological skills inventory covering training and competition. The relationships between 22 cognitive and two performance measures were examined. Successful and unsuccessful performers were compared.

Self-confidence, perception of being close to maximum potential, and use of attentional focusing discriminated the groups. Anxiety level and anxiety coping-responses were not revealed to be discriminating factors.

Implication Successful wrestlers were differentiated from unsuccessful wrestlers by being more confident, believing they were close to their maximum potential, and attentional focusing ability.

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