Tool for measuring self-preserved "pressure" in athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a practical assessment tool for measuring self-perceived "pressure", a situational variant in athletes. A checklist was developed and in its final form contained 16 items. The checklist was shown to be a valid, reliable, readable, and standardized assessment tool. Responses to the scale used in the checklist were weighted to reflect the levels of both positive (facilitatory) or negative (inhibitory) effects of internal and external sources of pressure. The developed checklist was administered to four Olympic athletes during competitions and provoked honest, accurate responding while demonstrating the sensitivity to "pressure". The checklist was shown to be capable of providing immediate feedback to coaches concerning athletes' perceptions of pressure prior to performance. The checklist provides scores which can be quickly interpreted by the coach as a measure of the levels and sources of pressure perceived by athletes.