The influence of psychological skills on the self-efficacy perceptions of elite, pre-elite and non-elite triathletes

Abstract

Quantitative and qualitative measures were used to assess the psychological skills of nine Elite, six Pre-elite, and four Non-elite triathletes, as well as the benefits derived by each group from these skills. It was hypothesized that the Elite group would have more developed psychological skills and greater self-efficacy perceptions than the Pre-elite and Non-elite groups, and that psychological skills would contribute to the self-efficacy perceptions of the three groups. Results indicated that the Elite group had greater self-efficacy perceptions than the Pre-elite or Non-elite groups, but there was only partial support for the hypothesized psychological skills differences. Although the Elite group was found to have more developed psychological skills than the Non-elite group, there were few skill differences between the Elite and Pre-elite groups. Results generally supported the hypothesized relationship between psychological skills and self-efficacy. However not all skills were equally influential. Based on the similruities between the Elite and Pre-elite groups in terms of psychological skills, it was suggested that other factors might have accounted for the greater self-efficacy perceptions of the Elite group relative to the Pre-elite group. Nonetheless it was suggested that psychological skill differences might have contributed to the Elite and Pre-elite groups' greater self-efficacy perceptions relative to the Non-elite group.