They’re Only Human! Tension and Stress Predict Performance of Softball Umpires in National Championships
The psychology of sports officials is often overlooked in psychology research. The present study addressed this disparity by exploring relationships among the mood, stress, and performance of Australian softball umpires. Six male and two female participants aged 25–68 years (<i>M</i> = 4...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Sports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/2/35 |
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| author | Ronald J. Houison Andrea Lamont-Mills Michael Kotiw Peter C. Terry |
| author_facet | Ronald J. Houison Andrea Lamont-Mills Michael Kotiw Peter C. Terry |
| author_sort | Ronald J. Houison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The psychology of sports officials is often overlooked in psychology research. The present study addressed this disparity by exploring relationships among the mood, stress, and performance of Australian softball umpires. Six male and two female participants aged 25–68 years (<i>M</i> = 48.95 ± 17.39 years) each completed the Brunel Mood Scale before games and provided saliva samples on multiple occasions prior to and after officiating games at two Australian National Softball Championships. Data from 65 games were analysed with performance assessed using Softball Australia’s umpire assessment tool. A significant positive relationship (<i>p</i> < 0.01) was found between tension scores and umpire performance. Using a stepwise regression analysis, tension scores and baseline cortisol level collectively explained 22.6% of the variance in umpire performance scores. These findings suggest that umpires require an optimal level of tension in the period leading up to competition to perform successfully, supporting the relationship between tension and performance first proposed by the inverted-U hypothesis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ffa83918743f4a0b8f8dcf323c0b8680 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2075-4663 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sports |
| spelling | doaj-art-ffa83918743f4a0b8f8dcf323c0b86802025-08-20T02:44:39ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632025-01-011323510.3390/sports13020035They’re Only Human! Tension and Stress Predict Performance of Softball Umpires in National ChampionshipsRonald J. Houison0Andrea Lamont-Mills1Michael Kotiw2Peter C. Terry3School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, AustraliaAcademic Affairs Administration, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, QLD 4305, AustraliaSchool of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, QLD 4305, AustraliaSchool of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, AustraliaThe psychology of sports officials is often overlooked in psychology research. The present study addressed this disparity by exploring relationships among the mood, stress, and performance of Australian softball umpires. Six male and two female participants aged 25–68 years (<i>M</i> = 48.95 ± 17.39 years) each completed the Brunel Mood Scale before games and provided saliva samples on multiple occasions prior to and after officiating games at two Australian National Softball Championships. Data from 65 games were analysed with performance assessed using Softball Australia’s umpire assessment tool. A significant positive relationship (<i>p</i> < 0.01) was found between tension scores and umpire performance. Using a stepwise regression analysis, tension scores and baseline cortisol level collectively explained 22.6% of the variance in umpire performance scores. These findings suggest that umpires require an optimal level of tension in the period leading up to competition to perform successfully, supporting the relationship between tension and performance first proposed by the inverted-U hypothesis.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/2/35BRUMSmood profilesalivary cortisolsports official |
| spellingShingle | Ronald J. Houison Andrea Lamont-Mills Michael Kotiw Peter C. Terry They’re Only Human! Tension and Stress Predict Performance of Softball Umpires in National Championships Sports BRUMS mood profile salivary cortisol sports official |
| title | They’re Only Human! Tension and Stress Predict Performance of Softball Umpires in National Championships |
| title_full | They’re Only Human! Tension and Stress Predict Performance of Softball Umpires in National Championships |
| title_fullStr | They’re Only Human! Tension and Stress Predict Performance of Softball Umpires in National Championships |
| title_full_unstemmed | They’re Only Human! Tension and Stress Predict Performance of Softball Umpires in National Championships |
| title_short | They’re Only Human! Tension and Stress Predict Performance of Softball Umpires in National Championships |
| title_sort | they re only human tension and stress predict performance of softball umpires in national championships |
| topic | BRUMS mood profile salivary cortisol sports official |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/2/35 |
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