本研究的目的在於探討美國大專運動員之能力知覺是否為心理技能與自尊的中間變數；自變數為心理技能，中間變數為能力知覺，依變數為自尊。使用四種量表來量度上述三者間之關係，分別為。運動員因應技能量表，大專學生個人知覺常模，羅納伯格自尊量表及庫柏史密斯測謊量表等。 研究中，心理技能是採用七個心理技能次量表的分數加總而得，分別為：因應逆境、克服壓力、免除憂慮、集中注意力、目標設定、自信心及心理準備的訓練、和虛心受教的態度。能力知覺，是採用五個次量表的分數加總而得，分別為：學業能力、運動能力、社交能力、外貌及自我價值。 研究對象為美國猶他大學84位男性及81位女性運動員，由相關分析得知：心理技能與自尊呈顯著的正相關：能力知覺和自尊也有顯著的正相關。但究經迴歸方程式分析之結果，發現能力知覺並不是心理技能與自尊的中間變數。然而卻可證實先前許多已發表文獻之研究結果，能力知覺是預測自尊的重要變數。

The purpose of the study was to determine whether perceived competence mediated the relationship between psychological skills and global self-esteem. Measurement of these variables involved administration of the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI), Self-Perception Profile for College Students (SPP), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Coopersmith Lie Scale. The independent variable was psychological skills, which consisted of the combined score from seven coping skills subscales. The assumed mediating variable, perceived competence, consisted of five subscales: scholastic competence, athletic competence, social acceptance, appearance and global self-worth. The dependent variable was global self-esteem. The total sample of volunteers consisted of 84 male and 81 female athletes who participated on the University of Utah athletic teams. The results revealed the following findings: (1) Psychological skills were significantly correlated with global self-esteem. (2) Perceived competence was significantly correlated with global self-esteem. (3) Psychological skills and all subcales of perceived competence were significantly correlated with global self-esteem (□=.0;□<0.1); however, perceived competence correlated more highly with global self-esteem (□=.60) than psychological skills (□=.17). Based on the finding that the correlation between perceived competence and global self-esteem was higher than the correlation between psychological skills and global self-esteem, this study concluded that perceived competence was not a mediator of the relationship between psychological skills and global self-esteem.