Goal Orientations, Role Conflict and Ambiguity: Predictors of Competitive Anxiety in Athletes

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationships of goal orientations, role conflict and ambiguity to competitive anxiety of athletes. The sample consisted of 224 male volleyball players of Iran Universities. The athletes representing 20 different teams participated in the study. Three instruments were used: Goal Orientations in Sport Questionnaire, Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scales, and Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2. Role ambiguity, role conflict, and ego orientation had positive and significant correlations with competitive anxiety of athletes, 0.25, 0.26, and 0.24, respectively; while the correlation of task orientation with competitive anxiety was significant and negative, -0.23. The multiple regression analyses showed that role conflict, role ambiguity, ego orientation and task orientation were the best predictors for competitive anxiety.