Athlete Coping Strategies Relating to Different Types of Stressors

Coping strategies used by varsity athletes connected to sports-related stressors have been studied but, what has yet to be determined is if the stressor type affects the coping strategies selected by these athletes. Participants consisted of 26 competitive athletes with injuries, 27 competitive athletes with other stressors, 12 non-competitive athletes with injuries, and 19 non-competitive athletes with other stressors. Instruments used to measure coping strategies, perception of stress, and athletic identity were the Brief Cope Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Athletic Identity Measurement Scale. Although hypothesized that competitive athletes with injuries would utilize unhealthy coping strategies more than other groups, results differed. Participants with other stressors used unhealthy coping strategies significantly more than those with injuries, regardless of athlete type, even though they perceived their stressors as less stressful than participants with injuries. The source of stressor was considered the most important factor in determining which strategies would be used