SELF-EFFICACY, EMOTIONAL STATES, AND PERFORMANCE IN CAROM BILLIARDS.

Based on an integrative approach to the study of the emotional-cognitive-motor linkage in sport competition, the purpose was to examine the mediating role of emotion-related (psychobiosocial) states in the relationship between self-efficacy (technical and cognitive) and performance in carom billiards. Forty-five male players of master or intermediate categories, between 30 and 74 years of age (M=51.2, SD=10.8), participated in the study. Measures included scores of technical and cognitive self-efficacy, functional (i.e., facilitative to performance) and dysfunctional (i.e., debilitative to performance) psychobiosocial states, and performance outcome. The assessment took place prior to one game of a national or an international competition. Results showed technical self-efficacy, cognitive self-efficacy, functional states, and performance to be significantly and positively related among them. Functional psychobiosocial states mediated the effect of both technical and cognitive self-efficacy on performance. Overall, the findings supported an integrative approach to the study of the linkage among cognition, emotion, and action in sport.