A field experiment was conducted to assess the efficacy of a social-support and stress-
reduction program intended to influence factors that affect performance anxiety in child
athletes. Baseball coaches in an experimental condition received preseason training in
which behavioral guidelines for reducing anxiety were presented and modeled. A no-
treatment control group did not receive the coach training. Children (N= 152) who played for
the two groups of coaches were interviewed and administered sport-specific trait anxiety�…