Abstract

Performance anxiety is a challenge most individuals in a sport face. From experts to novices in dressage, various individuals attempt to find harmony between horse and rider. Performance is a large part of dressage sport riding. This thesis will examine the following topics: the differences in expert and amateurs’ performance anxiety; the anxiety level of an expert or amateur who has been involved in a sport related injury; if the individual has a neurotic personality, whether more performance anxiety may occur while riding. A Mini IPIP five-factor personality test, Sports anxiety scale, Sports injury anxiety scales, and dressage questionnaires will be used to obtain the data to support or disprove these hypotheses. The results showed significance for hypothesis one, differences between experts and amateurs experiencing performance anxiety. Hypothesis two was not supported for people who had an injury related to dressage; However, hypothesis two did demonstrate that the individuals who have not or had a neutral sport-related injury showed significance in somatic trait anxiety scores, which are the human body’s physiological responses to stress. The third hypothesis yielded significance in those with a neurotic personality who experience heightened performance anxiety.

Thesis Completion

2022

Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair/Advisor

Sims, Valerie

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree Program

Clinical Psychology

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Release Date

5-1-2022

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