Abstract
The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effects of intense running exercise
in the presence and absence of interpersonal competition on both (a) pre-exercise
anxiety levels and (b) alterations in anxiety as a consequence of the exercise. Seven
females and 10 males performed a 5-mile run over the same outdoor course on two separate
days. In one condition the subjects ran in a road-race in which intense exercise was
combined with interpersonal competition. In the second condition, exercise of the
same intensity (84% V̇O2max) and duration was completed, but interpersonal competition was absent. Cognitive
(State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; STAI) and somatic (Body Awareness Scale; BAS) aspects
of anxiety were measured 15 min before and after exercise as well as on a separate
day under non-stressful, baseline conditions. A main effect for the Trials factor
was found using repeated measures ANOVA [Condition (presence/absence of interpersonal
competition) X Gender X Trials (baseline/pre-exercise/post-exercise)], and post-hoc
analysis revealed that post-exercise state anxiety and body awareness levels were
both reduced compared to pre-exercise baseline values. Condition and Gender main effects
were not significant nor were any of the interaction effects. Pre-exercise STAI and
BAS levels were found to be significantly (p < .01) elevated above baseline values.
However, while post-exercise STAI scores were significantly (p < .01) below the baseline
STAI level, the post-exercise BAS values did not fall below the corresponding baseline
level. It was concluded that: (1) both cognitive (STAI) and somatic (BAS) aspects
of anxiety are reduced following intense running, and this occurs both in the presence
and absence of interpersonal competition, and (2) pre-exercise anxiety can be influenced
to a greater extent by the intensity of an upcoming exercise bout than by the existence
of interpersonal competition.
Key words
Body awareness scale - cognitive anxiety - interpersonal competition - somatic anxiety
- state anxiety
