IMAGERY AND COMPETITIVE ANXIETY IN TURKISH NATIONAL ATHLETES: A STUDY ON ORAN 2022 MEDITERRANEAN GAMES

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between imagery use and competition anxiety in athletes competing in the Oran 2022 Mediterranean Games. The study participants, which was designed in the relational survey model, consisted of 170 athletes competing on behalf of Turkey in the Oran 2022 Mediterranean Games. The athletes voluntarily responded to the “Sport Competitive Anxiety Test-Adult Form” and “Imagery Inventory in Sport” online during and after the games. The data were analyzed with Pearson correlation and multiple enter regression model after the normality test. As a result, it was concluded that there was a significant relationship between athletes' use of imagery and their competitive anxiety, and it was also found that the “motivational general arousal” and “motivational general mastery” sub-dimensions of imagery explained 34% of competition anxiety. In this context, it is considered that practicing imagery exercises in addition to physical training can help reduce high competition anxiety in athletes.