Relationships between perceptions of performance expectations and mood among distance runners: the moderating effect of depressed mood.

Recent research has proposed that depressed mood is the most important mood dimension due to its de-motivating nature. Lane and Terry (2000a) proposed that depressed mood influences the intensity of other mood dimensions, and moderates the nature of anger and tension. Distance runners (N = 188) completed the 24-item Profile of Mood States-A (POMS-A: Terry, Lane, Lane, & Keohane, 1999) and a 7-item Pre-race Questionnaire to assess Perceived Readiness and Course Suitability 1 hr. before competition. On the basis of scores on the POMS-A Depression subscale, participants were dichotomized into a No-depression group (n = 137) or a Depressed mood group (n = 51). MANOVA results indicated that the Depressed mood group reported significantly higher scores on Anger, Confusion, Fatigue, Tension with lower Vigor and Perceived Readiness. In the No-depression group, Vigor correlated with Perceived Readiness, whereas in the Depressed mood group, Vigor was associated more closely with Course Suitability than Perceived Readiness. Anger showed a positive relationship with Perceived Readiness in the No-depression group, and an inverse relationship with Perceived Readiness in the Depressed mood group. Collectively, findings lend support to the notion that mood and thoughts about performance are significantly associated. Further, findings show that depressed mood fosters a negative psychological state and moderates the nature of anger but not tension.