Relationship between Motivation, Performance Anxiety, and Subjective Vitality in Female Table Tennis Players from Hyderabad District

Understanding the psychological influences on female athletes is crucial for enhancing performance, particularly in precision-oriented sports such as table tennis. This research investigated the relationship between motivation, performance anxiety, and subjective vitality. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study in which fifty-five female table tennis players of age 18-22 years were recruited from different colleges of Hyderabad District, Pakistan. A questionnaire was administered to the players comprising demographic sheet and three prevalidated tools i.e., Behavioral regulation in sport questionnaire, Sport anxiety scale-2, and Subjective vitality scale. The collected data was entered, coded, and analyzed using SPSS. Spearman’s correlations were used to analyze the data. Seventy-three percent of the players had an experience of less than one year. More than 50% were beginner level players. Intrinsic motivation was negatively correlated with performance anxiety (r = -.31, p <.05). Intrinsic motivation, integrated and identified regulation had positive correlation with subjective vitality (r > .30, p <.01). Introjected regulation, external regulation, and amotivation had positive correlation with performance anxiety (r = >.50, p <.001). Moreover, external regulation, and amotivation negatively correlated with subjective vitality (r ≥ -.30, p <.05). Moreover, performance anxiety had negative relationship with subjective vitality (r = -.41, p <.01). These results can inform athlete development programs, particularly by creating environments that enhance intrinsic motivation and well-being while managing anxiety effectively.