Psychological skills and sport value orientation among kyudo college athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the similarities and differences in the relationships between kyudo (Japanese archery) college athletes’ psychological skills and performance among the following three different sport value orientations: “enjoyment orientation,” “self-discipline orientation,” and “winning orientation.” A questionnaire survey was conducted for the participants in the 66th All Nippon Intercollege Kyudo Championship. As a result, 1,302 kyudo college athletes provided useable data, and of these, 458 (36.1%), 539 (42.5%), and 271 (21.4%) were categorized in the “enjoyment orientation,” “self-discipline orientation,” and “winning orientation,” respectively. Multiple regression analyses were performed separately across the three orientation groups with seven psychological skills as independent variables (imagination ability, relaxation, perseverance, calmness, confidence, courtesy, and breath control) and non-competitive and competitive performances as dependent variables with demographic variables (i.e., gender, age, grade) and kyudo experience as control variables. The results indicated that (a) imagination ability, perseverance, calmness, and breath control related to non-competitive performance and perseverance, and calmness related to competitive performance among college athletes with enjoyment orientation, (b) imagination ability, perseverance, and confidence related to non-competitive performance and imagination ability, perseverance, and calmness related to competitive performance among those with self-discipline orientation, and (c) perseverance, calmness, confidence, and breath control related to non-competitive performance and only confidence related to competitive performance among those with winning orientation. The self-discipline orientation is traditional and contains unique values of martial arts. It was revealed that this orientation’s psychological skill was higher than the other two orientations. Additionally, this research suggests that a traditional and unique value of martial arts reflected in the self-discipline orientation plays an important role in promoting sport as culture and in improving college athletes’ performance. Although their orientation appears to vary depending on their physical skills, it is common to try achieving the ultimate goal of kyudo (truth, goodness, and beauty) regardless of the orientation. This research indicates that, based on this attitude, kyudo athletes need to understand and adjust their own psychological skills and mental states in order to improve their performance.