Competitive Anxiety and Archery Performance: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Archery is a precision sport requiring optimal integration of physical, technical, and psychological abilities. Competitive anxiety may impair attentional control, physiological regulation, and shooting accuracy, ultimately reducing athletic performance. Although numerous observational studies have investigated this relationship, evidence specific to archery athletes has not been comprehensively synthesized.
Objective: To systematically evaluate the association between competitive anxiety and performance among archery athletes.
Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 Statement. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for studies published between January 2016 and March 2026 using a PICO framework. Eligible studies included observational, correlational, cross sectional, or comparative designs involving archery athletes aged 11 to 24 years. Owing to methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesized narratively.
Results: Six studies met the eligibility criteria. Across studies, competitive anxiety demonstrated a consistently negative association with archery performance, with reported correlation coefficients ranging from weak to moderate negative relationships. Higher cognitive anxiety was associated with impaired concentration and shooting accuracy, whereas somatic anxiety was linked to increased physiological activation, including elevated salivary alpha amylase and cardiovascular responses. Elite athletes generally exhibited lower anxiety levels and superior shooting performance than intermediate athletes.
Conclusion: Competitive anxiety is consistently associated with poorer archery performance through interacting cognitive and physiological mechanisms. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are required to strengthen causal inference and support evidence based psychological interventions for archery athletes.