SELF-EFFICACY IN COMPETITIVE ATHLETES AND ITS IMPACTS ON SPORT PRACTICE: INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Self-efficacy is a term that refers to an individual's judgment about their own abilities. In sport, it influences the choice of activities that the athlete performs. The objective was to characterize studies on self-efficacy in professional, elite and/or high-level competition athletes, through an integrative review. Twelve articles were retrieved from LILACS, Pubmed and SciELO databases. Athletes who have adequate levels of self-efficacy seem to achieve more satisfactory experiences, such as better performances, less anxiety and better responses to injuries, compared to those who do not. The application of interventions that favor the development of self-efficacy can be something positive. Psychology can contribute through the design and evaluation of interventions.