Use of the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory for Prediction of Performance in Collegiate Baseball (Report‪)‬

Abstract The Athletic Coping Skill Inventory (ACSI-28) was completed by twenty-six collegiate baseball players. Performance statistics were collected, including batting average (BA), number of errors committed (ERR), and earned run average (ERA) for pitchers. Regression analysis was carried out using the seven areas of the ACSI-28 (peaking under pressure, freedom from worry, coping with adversity, concentration, goal setting and mental preparation, confidence and achievement motivation, and 'coachability') as the independent variables, and the current season's performance statistics as the dependent variables. Correlation coefficients revealed significance between concentration, confidence, and ERA, while there were no significant relationships with BA or ERR and any of the psychological variables. Many of the psychological variables were highly related. While sequential linear regression did not reveal statistically significant relationships between the performance statistics and the psychological variables, large effect sizes indicated a strong degree of practical significance. Specifically, peaking under pressure and 'coachability' appeared to be strong predictor variables for ERA, concentration for ERR, and 'coachability' for BA.