A comparison of emotional experiences based on the Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning Model in rugby and wheelchair rugby players: A Pilot study
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine and contrast emotional experiences of rugby and wheelchair rugby players by utilizing the IZOF model. The questionnaire was completed by 26 male rugby and 11 wheelchair rugby players.
The content of emotions was studied as a) frequency of adjectives from the emotion profiles, b) frequency of adjectives clustered in groups of synonyms, and c) displaying frequency of helpful and harmful effect of the adjectives. To compare the contents of emotions between rugby and wheelchair rugby players the Chi-Square test was used.
To compare the intensities of emotions on the inter-group level we utilized Mann-Whitney U Test. The data revealed several significant differences (p 0,05) between the teams in selected emotion content and in indicated emotion intensities.
The results support utilizing an individual approach in studies of performance-related emotions and suggest that the IZOF model was applicable to research in emotions of athletes with disabilities.