Psychological barriers and their relationship to athletic achievement among track and field players at the college of physical education and sports sciences, university of Babylon

The world today is witnessing rapid development in various fields, particularly in sports. Sports psychology has become a fundamental pillar in preparing athletes, focusing on their psychological, mental, and physical health and addressing problems that may hinder their performance. From this perspective, the importance of this research lies in its aim to study psychological barriers and their impact on athletic achievement among track and field athletes at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at the University of Babylon. The research addressed a real-life problem identified through the researchers' observation of the low performance and fluctuations in some students' performance. This may reflect the influence of negative psychological factors such as anxiety, hesitation, and fear of failure. The researchers adopted a descriptive approach using a survey and correlational approach. A sample of 35 male and female college students was selected and subjected to a psychological barriers scale, which was constructed and statistically validated. The results showed significant differences between the actual and hypothetical averages of psychological barriers, indicating the presence of these barriers within the sample. The players' athletic achievement was also found to be good. However, the correlation coefficient results showed a statistically significant inverse relationship between psychological barriers and athletic achievement, meaning that the higher the psychological barriers, the lower the athletic performance. The researchers recommended the use of the Psychological Barriers Scale in sports and academic institutions to detect psychological problems early, while promoting student participation in activities and competitions to improve self-confidence and reduce anxiety.