Sources of Stress and Coping Styles Among Student-Athletes

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Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 5 (2010) 1911–1917

WCPCG-2010

Sources of stress and coping styles among student-athletes in Jordan universities
Abedalbasit Abedalhafiza * , Ziad Altahaynehb, Mahmoud Al-Haliqc
F F

A, b, c

Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan Received January 9, 2010; revised February 19, 2010; accepted March 4, 2010

Abstract This study explored the sources of stress and use of coping styles among Jordanian athletes. Fifty-six student-athletes from a university in Jordan participated in this study and completed a survey to examine their stress sources and associated coping styles. The results indicated that the most common sources of stress were injury and illness, pressures of competition, referee, conflict with the coach, and spectators. Athletes identified 16 coping strategies used to manage stress. Results suggest that interventions designed to reduce stress should seek to increase the use of avoidance and approach styles to cope with stress. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: stress; athletes; coping; Jordan; universities.

1. Introduction The topic of stress has received much attention in the area of contemporary psychology. The literature reflects many researchers ' beliefs that stress is a major factor affecting people 's lives, is closely tied with mental health, and is quite possibly linked with many problems of physical health (Brennan, 2001). Stress has also become a recurring theme with sport settings and athletic community. Studies in the exercise and sport sciences have identified stress as an important issue related to athletes ' well-being, and performance (DiBartolo & Shaffer, 2002; Humphrey, Yow, & Bowden, 2000). The term stress is defined in different ways in the literature. Jones (1990) defined stress as a state in which some demand is placed on the individual, who is then required to react in

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