Anxiety as a Mediator between Caffeine Dependence and Simple Reaction Time in College Sport Students
Author(s): Amarpreet Singh, Ajitpal Singh, Shubhdip Kaur, Jasmeen Kaur, Saurabh Kant*, Sukriti, Kulbeer Singh, Jagmeet Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Prabhleen Kaur
Abstract
Caffeine dependence among youngsters is becoming highly prevalent, especially among college sport students who rely heavily upon caffeine containing substances to manage rigorous physical training and academic responsibilities. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of anxiety between caffeine dependence and simple reaction time in college sports students. A correlational design with mediational analysis was employed to test the hypotheses. Sample consisted of 300 university sport students (158 males, 142 females) aged 18-25 years from private universities. Caffeine use disorder questionnaire, Hamilton anxiety scale and Stroop test were employed to study caffeine dependence, anxiety levels and reaction time respectively. Results revealed significant positive correlations among all variables. Reaction time (r=.43, p<.01) and anxiety (r=.47, p<.01) were positively correlated with caffeine dependence; anxiety was correlated with a shorter reaction time (r=.54, p<.01). Anxiety was found to have a substantial indirect influence (β=.20, p=.001, 95% CI (1.15, 2.13)) in mediating the link between coffee dependence and reaction time. Both direct (β=.23, p=.004) and total effects (β=.43, p=.021) continued to be significant, indicating that caffeine dependence influences cognitive function in numerous ways. These results suggest that caffeine addiction in college athletes leads to increased anxiety, which in turn affects cognitive function and reaction time. The findings underscore the necessity of caffeine consumption education and anxiety management treatments to maximize academic and athletic performance, with practical implications for university wellness programs and sports departments.