Psychophysiological stress response during competition between elite and non-elite Korean junior golfers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of stress hormone and competition state anxiety response between elite and non-elite junior golfers in competition. Six elite (Handicap: 2.67+/-0.82; 16.2+/-1.38 yrs) and six non-elite (Handicap: 7.83+/-1.17; 15.8+/-0.75 yrs) Korean junior golfers participated in this study. Physiological stress and psychological stress responses were measured on four occasions (at rest, prior to, during, after competition) by salivary cortisol and Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) respectively. In salivary cortisol, no interaction was found between groups and the test occasions. However, both groups showed significantly increased levels between rest and all other occasions and between prior to and after competition. The interpretation of this finding is limited by the interaction with the diurnal rhythm of cortisol secretion. In cognitive state anxiety, significant interaction was found. Elite golfers had significantly lower cognitive state anxiety scores than non-elite golfers at rest, prior to and during competition. No interaction was shown in somatic state anxiety. However, there was significant difference among occasions. Both groups had higher somatic state anxiety scores prior to and during competition than after competition. No interaction was shown in self-confidence, but elite group had significantly higher scores than non-elite group at all occasions. This study demonstrates the differences of psychophysiological response in competition between elite golfers and non-elite golfers.