Psychophysiological responses of young Brazilian swimmers according to sex, competitive speciality and performance

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to compare the hormonal difference (cortisol) between the sexes, swimming specialities and performance of adolescent swimmers to verify the existence of the relationship between cortisol and cognitive aspects among 35 swimmers with an average age of 15.41± 0.51 years, evaluated during the Brazilian Youth Swimming Championship. In addition, questionnaires, Competitive State Anxiety (CSAI-2) and sociodemographic characterisation were used. Together, salivary collections were performed. Female swimmers had higher cognitive anxiety (22.28± 5.16) vs male (16.84± 6.15, p= 0.012). female (19.14± 5.43) vs male (15.15± 2.40, p= 0.008) somatic anxiety. Sprinters had higher somatic anxiety (18.43± 4.80) than middle and long-distance swimmers vs middle and long-distance swimmers (15.35± 3.46, p= 0.042). Low-performance swimmers had greater cognitive anxiety (21.80± 6.42) than high-performance swimmers (17.55± 5.07, p= 0.049). Sprinters exhibited higher pre-competition cortisol levels (0.41± 0.12). Male swimmers showed negative relationships between cognitive anxiety and self-confidence (r= -0.56; p= 0.001), somatic anxiety (r= -0.45; p= 0.001), as well as middle and long-distance swimmers (r= -0.52, p= 0.001) and high-performance swimmers (r= -0.78, p= 0.001). Likewise, a psychophysiological relationship was found in low-performance athletes between somatic anxiety and pre-competition cortisol. (r= -0.50; p= 0.002). Therefore, coaches and others involved in the preparation of these athletes can use the biological measurement of salivary cortisol as an anxiety marker and sports performance in young swimmers.