A comprehensive re-evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Kaufman survey of early academic and language skills in Turkish children aged 48-72 months: multidimensional structure, measurement

Understanding the psychological processes underlying anxiety in sport professionals represents a central issue in sport psychology. Because the psychological demands experienced by sport professionals vary across sports, findings regarding stress and anxiety cannot be readily generalized from one sporting context to another. For this reason, the present study focuses specifically on football coaches and referees. While previous research has extensively documented the presence of stress and anxiety in sport contexts, less attention has been devoted to identifying the processes through which different sport roles may lead to distinct psychological outcomes (; ; ). Sport environments are inherently demanding, requiring individuals to cope with performance pressure, evaluation, and uncertainty. Within this context, both coaches and referees operate under conditions that can elicit significant psychological strain. However, these roles differ substantially in their structural and social demands (). Sport referees, in particular, operate in highly demanding environments that require rapid decision-making, continuous attention, and the management of complex and dynamic situations. Their role involves evaluating game actions, enforcing rules, maintaining control, and resolving conflicts, often under time pressure and in the presence of multiple stakeholders such as players, coaches, and spectators (). Due to the subjective and highly visible nature of their decisions, referees are frequently exposed to criticism from players, coaches, fans, and the media ().