Effect of biofeedback assisted psychological interventions of anxious sports persons

Abstract

The present study was aimed at examining the effect of biofeedback assisted training methods such as Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Imagery, and combination of the two on anxiety, electrodermal response & performance of Table-Tennis players. The study was carried out on 80 Table –Tennis players in the age group of 12-17 years. The I.P.A.T anxiety test by Cattell & Scheier (1963) was administered to assess the anxiety level both covert and overt anxiety of the sportspersons, electro Dermal Response consisting of Basal value and Relaxation value was also measured. Only players who were scoring high/medium on the anxiety test were selected, and each group consisted of 20 individuals, 3 experimental groups were provided with different intervention. The data obtained was analyzed using correlation, ANOVA, and t test. The sports persons were subjected to 30 minutes, 6 days a week for 3 weeks: Biofeedback assisted Progressive Muscle Relaxation training on electrodermal response (Grp1), another group of sports persons were subjected to Imagery training (Grp2) third group was subjected to combination of Biofeedback assisted Progressive Muscle Relaxation & Imagery (Grp3). The results indicate that all the 3 psychological interventions enhanced performance of sports persons.