Effect of Structured Psychological Skills Training Program on Anxiety Regulation of Novice Youth Football Players

Introduction: Psychological factors such as cognition, motivation, and emotion significantly affect athletic performance behaviours (Feltz et al., 2008). Self-talk and mental preparation influence how athletes feel and perform, either acting as a motivator or undermining confidence (Tripathi et al., 2023). For novice youth football players, pre-competitive anxiety often leads to performance decrements. Objectives: This study assessed the effect of a 15-session structured Psychological Skills Training (PST) program on the regulation of cognitive and somatic anxiety, as well as self-confidence levels. Methods: Thirty novice youth football players (N=30) participated in a 15-session intervention. Each session lasted 10 minutes and was administered before training or competition. The program followed a specific 2-2-2-4-minute structure: Relaxation (2 mins), Imagery (2 mins), Positive Self-talk (2 mins), and Goal Setting (4 mins). Data were collected using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2). Results: Paired sample t-tests revealed significant reductions in cognitive anxiety (Mean diff = 4.07, p<.001) and somatic anxiety (Mean diff = 3.37, p<.001). Furthermore, a significant increase in self-confidence was observed (Mean diff = -2.83, p<.001). Conclusions: The researcher concluded that a brief, multimodal PST intervention is highly effective for regulating anxiety and boosting self-confidence in novice youth athletes, facilitating a smoother transition into competitive sports.