Self -Confidence in Young Athletes: A Protective Factor Against Perfectionism and Anxiety in Competitive Grassroots Sport.

This article investigates the relationships between multidimensional perfectionism, competitive anxiety, and self-confidence in young Spanish athletes, emphasizing self-confidence as a mediating factor influencing sport performance. Using the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS) and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2R (CSAI-2R), the study found that while perfectionism is positively associated with both cognitive and somatic anxiety, higher self-confidence reduces these anxiety responses. Functional aspects of perfectionism, such as mental organization and achievement expectations, were linked to increased self-confidence, whereas dysfunctional elements like fear of mistakes and external pressures heightened anxiety. The findings suggest that tailored coaching strategies focusing on enhancing self-confidence and adaptive perfectionism may improve young athletes' psychological adjustment and performance.