Author(s): MALÍR, R., LAROËRE, B.M., CHRUDIMSKÝ, J., CERNÁ, J., TREBICKÝ, V., Institution: FACULTY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT, CHARLES UNIVERSITY, VAT 00216208, Country: CZECH REPUBLIC, Abstract-ID: 596

INTRODUCTION:
Gymnastics is a highly demanding sport, taxing both physically and mentally. The emotional load during gymnastics events particularly highlights the role of fear and anxiety (1, 2). Although often used interchangeably, some argue that anxiety, unlike fear, arises in response to unknown and vague issues (3). In contrast, fear is a response to a concrete and identifiable danger, such as the fear of failure (4), injury (5), or coach criticism (1). Though experiencing anxiety and fear affects sports performance (3, 6), the literature is mixed on whether they enhance (6) or impair it (7). This study aims to provide a systematic review of current evidence on the role of anxiety and fear in gymnastics.

METHODS:
Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched scientific article databases (Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Scopus) to identify available full-text peer-reviewed empirical articles in English investigating anxiety and fear in gymnastics. Basic information (authors, year of publication, study design) and details about participants, methods, and results were extracted. The selected studies were assessed for bias after the final selection.

RESULTS:
Out of 788 initially collected studies, 39 met the selection criteria after a single round of screening. Predominantly focused on artistic gymnastics (33 studies), the results revealed a higher prevalence of anxiety and fear during competitions compared to training, with no discernible difference in their perceptions across performance levels. Fear of injury, often linked to participants’ injury history, emerged as a common cause. However, evidence on how aspects like athletes sex or performance level affect the perception of fear and anxiety remains mixed.

CONCLUSION:
Fear and anxiety are frequent concerns in gymnastics, particularly during competitions. However, the available research mainly focuses on artistic gymnastics, leading to insufficient insights into other gymnastic sports. Future research should focus on better distinguishing fear and anxiety and explore more diverse groups of gymnasts.

REFERENCES:
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3. S. Zhang, T. Woodman, R. Roberts (2018).
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