| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological effects
of lay-off from training on competitive swimmers. The subjects were 20
swimmers (M = 8, F =12) competing at either a national or provincial
level. Subjects were given the Speilberger, Gorsuch and Lushene Self-
Evaluation Questionnaire and a Likert Mood Scale Self-Evaluation
Questionnaire on four occasions: during training (pre-test), two days
into lay-off, five days into lay-off and again during training (post-test).
A ten-item scale that measured self-reports of commitment and addiction to
swimming using a nine-point Likert-type scale was also administered on
days two and five of lay-off. An Activity Assessment Questionnaire was
used to determine what activities, if any, the subjects participated in
during their lay-off. This was administered on day five of their lay-off.
No significance was found using ANOVA (p < 0.05) between the pre- and post-tests and lay-off days two and five, for either the mood scale or
state anxiety self-evaluation questionnaire. Of the 20 subjects tested,
five subjects exercised during the course of the testing period, and one
subject became injured. Therefore, analysis was completed for both N = 14
and N = 20. The means for both mood and state anxiety for day two
indicated an addiction pattern, while the means for both mood and state
anxiety for day five indicated a relief pattern. Subjects were categorized
into one of two groups on the basis of the pattern of their state anxiety
and mood scores. These patterns were addiction, (low mood, high anxiety)
and relief (high mood, low anxiety). T-tests revealed a significant
difference between the relief and addiction groups (N = 14) for the level
the subjects competed at (relief x = 1.6, addiction x = 1.1), and for the number of days per week the subjects trained (relief x = 5.4,
addiction x = 6.0). Data compiled from day five showed a significant
difference between the addiction and relief groups for the subjects'
preference to taking a day off from training, and from training, and from
the subjects' perceived addiction scores. All subjects in the relief
group indicated that they felt that they needed a day off from swimming
to rest. Half of the subjects in the addiction group indicated the same.
The addiction group (x = 6.8) perceived themselves more addicted to
swimming than the relief group (x = 8.6). Subjects who experienced
addiction during lay-off tended to compete at higher levels (national)
and did not wish to take a day-off from training. Those who competed at
lower levels (provincial) experienced relief during lay-off perhaps due
to the coach controlled training schedule where time-off was viewed as
a welcome relief. Further research in this area should involve a larger
sample size across a variety of sports involving elite athletes. | |
