When athletes suffer from precompetition anxiety, several things can be done to alleviate that problem. This study showed that learning progressive relaxation and visualization techniques relieved the problem.
[The difficulty with this type of study is that it shows that a problem can be reduced. It would have been better to demonstrate how to prevent the problem. The development of appropriate competition preparation and self-control skills will prevent precompetition anxiety. Even with individuals suffering this problem, it is more adaptive to teach them skills so that the problem will be removed rather than treat the symptoms with relaxation and visualization.]
Return to Table of Contents for ICAR 1990-91 Report.