Self-efficacy, state anxiety, and cortisol responses to treadmill running

Social cognitive theory of Bandura hypothesizes that increases in self-efficacy act as a mechanism for anxiety reduction and lower biological stress reactions. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to examine self-efficacy, anxiety, and cortisol responses to 20 minutes of treadmill running at 85% maximal heart rate and a control condition among 12 physically active males. For this study, self-efficacy, anxiety, and cortisol were measured prior to and 5 and 20 min. after exercise for individuals completing a 20-min. treadmill running activity or a 20 min. rest (control) activity. Repeated-measures analyses of variance showed significant condition by time interaction for self-efficacy and cortisol (ps <.05); the exercise group's self-efficacy and cortisol increased pre- to posttreatment. Moreover, the analysis of variance for anxiety yielded a main effect for time, with reductions in anxiety scores observed in both conditions. Correlational analyses showed that posttreatment cortisol levels were inversely correlated -.51 to self-efficacy scores and positively correlated .55 to anxiety scores. The correlation between self-efficacy and anxiety was not significant. These results provide partial support for the predicted relationships among self-efficacy, anxiety, and cortisol responses to treadmill running. Suggestions for research are provided.