The Impact of Positive Self-talk on Wushu Athletes' Self-Confidence Levels

Abstract

Objectives. This study aims to investigate the impact of positive self-talk on the self-confidence levels of wushu athletes. Specifically, it seeks to determine whether structured positive self-talk training can significantly enhance the self-confidence of senior athletes engaged in competitive wushu.

Materials and Methods. This research employed a quantitative approach with a one-group pretest-posttest design. The study involved 23 senior wushu athletes from East Java, who participated in an intervention program over four weeks. The intervention consisted of eight structured sessions of positive self-talk training, conducted by trained coaches. The training included:Motivational affirmations, Self-reflective dialogues, Verbal reinforcement techniques. To assess the athletes’ self-confidence levels, researchers used a validated self-confidence scale, administered before and after the intervention. The collected data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test to evaluate the statistical significance of the observed changes.

Results. The analysis revealed a statistically significant improvement in self-confidence following the intervention. The mean pretest score was 58.57, which increased to 73.52 in the posttest. The p-value was less than 0.05, indicating that the difference was statistically significant. These results suggest that the positive self-talk intervention had a meaningful effect on enhancing the self-confidence of wushu athletes.

Conclusion. The findings support the effectiveness of positive self-talk as a psychological strategy for improving self-confidence in competitive athletes. Positive self-talk training represents a practical, low-cost method to enhance mental readiness and performance in high-concentration sports such as wushu. Despite the promising results, the study acknowledges limitations, including the absence of a control group and a relatively small sample size. Future research is recommended to employ randomized controlled trials with larger participant groups to validate and expand upon these findings. Integrating positive self-talk into daily athletic training routines is highly recommended for coaches and sports psychologists aiming to build athlete confidence and performance consistency.