Predicting Pressurised Competitive Trampoline Gymnastics Performance with Challenge and Threat Evaluations

Excellence in trampoline gymnastics involves executing highly complex figures in a stressful competitive setting that punishes even small errors. Such competitive settings provide an ideal environment to study the theoretical predictions of the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat (CAT). The model predicts that cognitive evaluations consistent with a challenge (versus a threat) state relate to better performance. We aimed to examine whether a cognitive CAT measure taken before the start of the season predicts elite-level trampoline gymnastics performance at one highly pressurised competition 37.7 days on average later in the season. Using a prospective design with 50 preadolescent-to-adult elite-level trampoline gymnasts, we predicted first- and second-routine performance at the highly pressurised competition with pre-season cognitive CAT (i.e., personal coping resources minus situational demands) evaluations regarding this competition. The main analyses partially supported the hypothesis that a challenge evaluation relates to better performance than a threat evaluation. Cognitive evaluations reflective of a challenge (versus a threat) state predicted better first routine performance (adjusting for age, sex, and average season performance). In the second routine, a subset of athletes reported relatively more challenge evaluations, but performed significantly worse by failing to complete their routine. These findings provide novel insights into the predictions and boundary conditions of the biopsychosocial model of CAT and emphasise the importance of routine type (mandatory, but relatively simple, first versus free-choice second routine) in predicting trampoline gymnastics performance.