Individual and socio-relational factors of performance anxiety

Abstract

The study explores the theoretical models and the individual and socio-relational factors of performance anxiety (PA) manifested in various contexts (academic, sports, artistic, etc.). A literature review was conducted to identify the factors likely to influence PA, analyzing existing psychological theories and models. From the 29 studies selected as a documentation basis, several conceptual-explanatory models of PA emerged, namely: the processual model, the transactional model, the information processing model, the bidimensional model, the emotional self-regulation and social feedback model, and the stimulus-performance balance model. In the etiology of performance anxiety, individual traits (perfectionism, emotionality, introversion) and socio-relational factors (group pressure, perceived low social support) were identified. The necessity of a multidimensional approach in managing PA is evident, with intervention strategies developed based on the specifics of each context in which it manifests (academic, sports, artistic), taking into account both the individual and socio-relational aspects that increase this specific form of anxiety and reduce performance. Interdisciplinary approaches, allowing, for instance, the application in the academic environment of methods for reducing anxiety from sports, could offer effective solutions.