Psychophysiological signatures of competitive anxiety in martial arts athletes outside competition: a multivariate perspective

Relevance. The association between competitive anxiety and heart rate variability (HRV) remains inconsistent, especially when athletes are evaluated outside the immediate pre-competition period. Objective. To examine relationships between competitive anxiety and autonomic, respiratory, and sensorimotor regulation in martial arts athletes during a non-competitive training phase. Methods. Forty athletes (aged 16–27) who practice karate, kyokushin, wushu, or taekwondo were assessed during regular training sessions. Competitive anxiety was measured using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2). Resting photoplethysmography (5-minutes, seated) was recorded to calculate linear and nonlinear heart rate variability (HRV) indices, as well as respiratory parameters. Sensorimotor performance was assessed using a battery of visual-motor tasks. All variables were standardized using z-scores. Correlation analysis, k-means clustering, and PERMANOVA were used for analysis. Results. No significant correlations were found between anxiety subscales and autonomic or sensorimotor indicators. Cluster analysis identified two psychological profiles: a group with higher anxiety and lower confidence, and a more adaptive group with lower anxiety and higher confidence. Although univariate differences did not reach statistical significance, the group with higher anxiety showed consistent trends towards lower vagal activity (RMSSD, pNN50), reduced abdominal respiratory amplitude, reduced autonomic complexity, and increased variability in choice reaction time. Multivariate analysis suggested a trend towards differentiation of integrated psychophysiological profiles (p=0.08). Conclusion. In non-competitive conditions, anxiety was not related to individual physiological markers, but rather reflected in integrated, multivariate configurations. These findings emphasize the significance of multidimensional approaches in sports psychophysiology.