Are there differences in the self-efficacy of volleyball players in relation to their position?

The positions athletes play on the court have different requirements for the optimal performance of the players. However, no studies have yet examined volleyball to determine whether there are differences in athletes' self-efficacy depending on the position they play. Therefore, the study aimed to analyze the differences in self-efficacy according to the volleyball players' positions, specifically, whether a defensive (libero) position is associated with self-efficacy to a greater degree than offensive positions (e.g., attack players [hitters]). The sample was 300 high-performance volleyball athletes (Mage = 24.88 years, SD = 5.51; 55% male) with a mean practice time of 11.07 years (SD = 5.24). The Volleyball Self-Efficacy Scale was administered, and a one-way analysis of variance and a Tukey post hoc test was conducted to observe differences in levels of self-efficacy. The results showed that, in general, the self-efficacy dimensions and global self-efficacy in volleyball discriminated the athletes according to their positions. Differences in three dimensions were highlighted: Dimension 1, Self-Efficacy in the Game; Dimension 2, Defensive Self- Efficacy in Volleyball; and Dimension 3, Offensive Self-Efficacy in Volleyball. In D1, higher self-efficacy values were observed in the setters; in D2, higher self-efficacy values were observed in the liberos; and in D3, higher self-efficacy values were observed in the attackers, mainly opposite hitters. Overall, the results revealed differences in athletes' responses to the self-efficacy dimensions of the scale, which differentiated the players according to the particularities of their positions and demonstrated that, in certain positions, more than one type of efficacy is needed to achieve high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]