Two variables were measured in the study: (1) level of perceived parental pressure measured as subjects' total scores across the last five items of the Parental Sports Pressure Questionnaire (high involvement items); and (2) level of competition sports anxiety measured as subjects' total score for the Illinois Competition Questionnaire. Table 1 presents, for the sample as a whole, central tendency and variability statistics observed for both these measures.
As can be seen from inspection of the table, students' parental pressure scores tended to hover about a mean of 15. However, if male and female scores are examined separately, it can be seen that, on the average, males' scores were slightly under the mean value while female scores were slightly above the mean value.
Similar findings were observed for the sports anxiety variable. That is, as a whole, the sample mean was 33.50 with male scores falling slightly below this mean, and female scores falling slightly above this mean.
It is interesting to note that for the anxiety measure, males and females evidenced roughly the same amount of scatter, standard deviation values being 6.15 and 6.02 respectively. However, for the perceptions of parental pressure variable, males (S.D.=5.42) evidenced a good bit more variability than did females (S.D. =2.71).
Descriptive Findings Observed For Parental Pressure and Sports
Sample as a Whole
Mean Median S.D. Range
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Mean Median S.D. Range
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Mean Median S.D. Range
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