The Person-Centered Approach for Controlling the Anxiety of Tae Kwon Do Athletes

Οurania Georgiadi & Asterios Patsiaouras

Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Hellas

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the application of selected rules, methods and strategies of person- centered approach (genuineness, warmth, empathy) in the control of anxiety in tae kwon do athletes. The participants (N = 22) were tae kwon do athletes of two athletic clubs, where the athletes of one club consti- tuted the control group (CG, n = 10, age 15 ± 1.83) and the athletes of the second club the intervention group (IG, n = 12, age 16.08 ± 2.97). The intervention was a person-centered approach based on the theory of Rogers (1985), with eight weeks duration of 40 minute sessions, once a week after practice. The Mental Readiness Form was used to measure anxiety before and after the intervention. Statistically significant differences were observed in the somatic anxiety levels of CG (increase), while in the IG the somatic anxiety remained stable. Based on the results, it appears that the person-centered approach helped the IG athletes control their so- matic anxiety. Future studies should investigate the use of person-centered approach in other sports, team and individual ones, furthermore, the application of person – centered approach for anxiety reduction.

Key words: person-centered approach, anxiety, tae kwon do