Athletic injury,psychosocial factors and perceptual changes during stress

In this study, we measured changes in state anxiety, visual perception and reaction time during stress among 196 collegiate athletes participating in 10 sports. The athletes also completed measures of life events and social support at the beginning of their seasons. Measures of life events stress, social support, perceptual changes and changes in reaction time during stress were used as predictors of the number of injuries. For the entire sample, the only significant predictor of injury was negative life events stress (R= 0.45, P < 0.001). Following the suggestions of Smith et al., simple correlations were performed for those with least social support (bottom 33%, n=65). Among this group, those individuals with more negative life events and greater peripheral narrowing during stress incurred more injuries than those with the opposite profile. Our findings are in line with the model of Andersen and Williams, in that those individuals who were low in a variable that buffers stress responsivity (i.e. social support), their negative life events and peripheral narrowing under stress (large and medium effect sizes, respectively) were substantially related to their number of injuries.     

运动员社会支持的研究述评

社会支持是指来自家庭、亲友和社会其他方面(同学、组织、团体和社区等)对个体的精神和物质上的慰籍、关怀、尊重和帮助。本文采用文献资料法,对运动员社会支持的概念、类型、理论模型和作用机制进行了介绍,其中,压力-应对观点是社会支持研究中最有影响的理论观点,它认为社会支持降低了压力性事件对健康的影响。作为一种重要的外界资源,社会支持被认为是帮助运动员这类高压群体成长发展、恢复伤病、获取自信、处理疲劳和提高运动表现的重要保证。     

The prevalence and risk indicators of symptoms of common mental disorders among current and former Dutch elite athletes

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and comorbidity of symptoms of common mental disorders (distress, anxiety/depression, sleep disturbance, eating disorders, adverse alcohol use) among current and former Dutch elite athletes, and to explore the inference between potential risk indicators (severe injury, surgery, life events, sport career dissatisfaction, social support) and the outcomes measures under investigation. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on baseline questionnaires from an ongoing prospective cohort study among 203 current and 282 former elite Dutch athletes (response rate: 28% among current athletes and 95% among former athletes). Based on validated scales, an electronic questionnaire was set up and distributed. Prevalence (4-week) ranged from 6% for adverse alcohol use to 45% for anxiety/depression among current elite athletes, and from 18% for distress to 29% for anxiety/depression among former elite athletes. A higher number of past severe injuries, higher number of past surgeries, higher number of recent life events, higher level of career dissatisfaction and lower level of social support were related to the occurrence of symptoms of common mental disorders among both current and former elite athletes. On average, the 4-week prevalence of common mental disorders as shown in our study among current and former Dutch elite athletes were similar to the ones found among athletes from other sports disciplines and does compare with the lifetime prevalence estimates in the general population of the Netherlands.     

人格特征对棒球运动员运动损伤的影响

以应激—运动损伤理论(Williams&Andersen,1998)为依据,以棒球运动员为研究对象,以艾森克人格问卷为人格测量工具,以经过翻译并修订的《运动员生活事件量表》为应激经历的测量工具,采用二项logistic回归分析(后退法)法,考察了人格特征对运动员运动损伤的影响效应。结果显示:内外向、消极事件、消极事件与内外向的交互作用3个变量的OR值分别为5.020(P<0.05)、3.035(P<0.05)、0.925(P<0.05)。这表明运动员越趋外向、承受的消极生活应激量越大,则发生急性运动损伤的可能性就越大;运动员在内外向上的特质与所承受的消极生活应激量对急性运动损伤的发生产生了交互作用。     

关于青少年运动员心理应激模型的研究

通过对169名青少年运动员进行问卷调查,采用相关分析、逐步回归分析和路径分析等统计方法,建立了青少年运动员的心理应激模型。研究表明:应激源、应对方式和社会支持是影响青少年运动员赛前状态的重要因素;应对方式是青少年运动员心理应激反应的中介因素;社会支持有助于降低状态焦虑,提高状态自信心。     

Experiences of amateur athletes’ non-participating entourage at participatory sport events

ABSTRACT

The proliferation of participatory sport events is attracting scholarly attention, with extant research primarily focusing on profiling participants, and understanding participants’ experiences. The experiences and perspectives of those who travel to participatory sport events to support competing athletes, the ‘non-participating entourage’ (NPE), have largely been overlooked. This stakeholder group is arguably under-recognised by those staging participatory sport events. The purpose of this study was to explore NPE experiences at participatory sport events, adopting a phenomenological approach and employing stakeholder theory as an interpretive lens. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 NPE of amateur athletes in Australia. Findings highlighted that NPE provide emotional and logistical support to their athlete at events. However, while providing support, NPE also experienced positive and negative emotions arising from contextual factors including their relationship to the athlete, group composition, athlete performance, and event design and conditions. This research highlights a vexed, though crucial stakeholder relationship between NPE and event management organisations, requiring unique stakeholder management strategies.     

An exploration of the distractions inherent to social media use among athletes

Social media present athletes with a number of benefits and challenges. As a result, various sport stakeholders have debated appropriate social media use among athletes at major sport events, with some suggesting that using these platforms can have negative consequences. The purpose of this research was to examine the elements of social media that athletes perceive to be distracting during major sport events and the practices they undertake to address such distractions. Interviews with Australian elite athletes (N = 15) were conducted and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal several elements associated with distraction, including positive and unwanted messages, branding pressures, and competitor content. Athletes reported two key practices that assisted in overcoming distractions, including switching off and handing over the control of their social media accounts. The findings extend distraction-conflict theory to athlete social media research, while presenting a preliminary conceptual model to assist researchers in further understanding the potential impact of social media distractions on athletes. Opportunities for sport practitioners to develop or implement social media education programs are described.     

The effects of perceived and received support on self-confidence

A sample of 222 university athletes (mean age 19.8 years, s = 2.0), ranging in standard from university second team to international competitor, completed a measure of perceived support 2 weeks before an important competition or match. On the day before the competition or match, the athletes completed measures of stressors, stress, received support, and self-confidence. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses revealed the following key findings: (i) main effects for both perceived (DeltaR2 = 0.11) and received support (DeltaR2 = 0.14) upon self-confidence; (ii) stress-buffering effects for both perceived (DeltaR2 = 0.02) and received (DeltaR2 = 0.07) support upon self-confidence; (iii) when both aspects of support were considered simultaneously, stress-buffering effects were primarily attributable to the influence of received support. These results demonstrate the beneficial impact of social support on self-confidence, both directly and by reducing the negative effect of stress on self-confidence. Our findings emphasize the need to recognize the distinction between perceived and received support, both in terms of theory and the design of social support interventions with athletes.     

高水平运动员运动损伤经历的现象学研究

采用开放式访谈法对损伤运动员康复过程中的三个阶段进行了访谈研究.运动员将在损伤后的第一周,损伤后的15～20天及损伤后的30天接受访谈.这三次开放性的访谈是让运动员在没有任何前提约束的情况下自由地谈论他们的经历.被试是美国东南部大学的NCAA一级运动员（5名）.对访谈结果的分析揭示了四个主题：视点情绪反应,损伤应对及人际关系和几个次级主题.结论：第一,运动损伤在很大程度上影响了运动员的生活;第二,运动损伤对于本研究中的每名运动员都是一次独特的经历;最后,通过多重现象访谈法给运动员提供了公开谈论他们损伤康复经验的机会.     

从过程理论观点探索我国运动员的退役(Ⅰ)——退役意识、心理状态与应对策略的调查

研究基于运动员退役的过程理论，对我国运动员的退役意识、心理状态和应对策略进行定量分析。研究对789名运动员进行了调查，按照运动员年龄、训练年限和性别，对其生活中的心理状态和退役应对策略进行了分析。另外，对打算退役和不打算退役的运动员进行退役意识、心理状态和应对策略的分析。结果发现，运动员随着年龄的增加对自己的运动员角色认知下降，退役准备的认知会增加；产生退役的想法与生活的心理状态有关。对打算退役运动员的心理状态进行分析，发现运动员在自我评介、生活满意度和社会支持的认知方面，都表现出差于不打算退役的运动员，而且，生活焦虑和孤独感明显增加。研究还发现，女性运动员的心理状态较差，主要表现在生活焦虑方面。在应对退役的策略方面，运动员采用回避的应对方式多于积极的应对方式，尤其是女性运动员，采用回避的应对方式更为突出。基于以上这些发现，从社会心理学角度，讨论了我国运动员退役过程的心理问题。     

自由式滑雪空中技巧国家队队员冬训期心理状态的监控与分析

采用心理测量法,对自由式滑雪空中技巧国家队运动员2010—2011年陆上训练和雪上训练(冬训前后)的注意力、应激、训练状态、赛前情绪4项心理指标进行监测和分析,了解运动员的训练特征及心理状态。结果发现:运动员陆上训练和雪上训练心理状态是有差异的,不同性别的自由式滑雪空中技巧运动员心理状态呈现出不同特征;运动员的注意力处在一般水平,经过冬训注意力有所提高;经过冬训运动员的应激状态均有所改善,男队员改善明显,冬训后困扰男队员的主要为比赛所带来的压力,而女队员则主要为生活遭遇和运动损伤的压力。大部分运动员的赛前状态良好,一部分运动员存在轻、中和重度的心理疲劳。结论:对于自由式滑雪空中技巧项目运动员进行心理状态监测是非常必要的。对运动员采取的心理调节策略、方法应具有鲜明的个体性。     

Social support and recovery from sport injury: elite skiers share their experiences.

Research suggests that social support can be an important coping resource for athletes recovering from sport injury. Few studies have investigated this claim, however. To address this gap in the literature, 10 elite downhill skiers who had recovered from serious sport injuries were interviewed about the sources of stress associated with injury and the role of social support in recovery from sport injury. This paper presents the social supportfindings that emergedfrom this research'. Content analyses of the social support data revealed that the skiers needed various types of emotional, informational, and tangible support from the occurrence of injury through the return to full activity. Members of the treatment team, the ski team, and the skiers' home support net works provided social support throughout these phases. In general, the skiers were satisfied with the support received, indicating that it reduced distress and kept them motivated throughout recovery. The findings from this research have implications for the design of sport injury interventions.     

Social Support and Recovery from Sport Injury: Elite Skiers Share Their Experiences

Abstract

Research suggests that social support can be an important coping resource for athletes recovering from sport injury. Few studies have investigated this claim, however: To address this gap in the literature, 10 elite downhill skiers who had recovered from serious sport injuries were interviewed about the sources of stress associated with injury and the role of social support in recovery from sport injury. This paper presents the social support findings that emerged from this research¹. Content analyses of the social support data revealed that the skiers needed various types of emotional, informational, and tangible support from the occurance of injury through the return to full activity. Members of the treatment team, the ski team, and the skiers' home support networks provided social support throughout these phases. In general, the skiers were satisfied with the support received, indicating that it reduced distress and kept them motivated throughout recovery. The findings from this research have implications for the design of sport injury interventions.     

An examination of psychosocial variables moderating the relationship between life stress and injury time-loss among athletes of a high standard

Based on Williams and Andersen's model of stress and athletic injury, six psychosocial variables were assessed as possible moderators of the relationship between life stress and injury among 121 athletes (65 males, 56 females) competing in a variety of sports at state, national or international level. No significant effects of the sex of the participants were evident. Correlational analyses revealed moderator effects of several variables. Specifically, dispositional optimism and hardiness were related to decreased injury time-loss in athletes when positive life change increased, and global self-esteem was associated with decreased injury time-loss when both negative life change and total life change increased. The results indicate that athletes with more optimism, hardiness or global self-esteem may cope more effectively with life change stress, resulting in reduced injury vulnerability and recovery rates.     

Training patterns of athletes during pregnancy and postpartum

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine exercise patterns and psychological variables mediating a return to training and competition after pregnancy. Competitive female athletes who had given birth within the last 10 years completed surveys concerning (a) training patterns before, during, and after childbirth, (b) childbirth complications and training advice, (c) perceptions of success in their postpartum comebacks to training, and (d) self-efficacy, social support, and perceived barriers to training during pregnancy and after childbirth. Results indicated that women decreased both cardiovascular and resistance training during pregnancy. Additionally, training efforts during pregnancy were independent of those during the pre- and postpartum periods. This finding suggests that athletes may be able to alter their training patterns during pregnancy without a significant impact on their postpartum training program.     

Coach–athlete attachment and the quality of the coach–athlete relationship: implications for athlete’s well-being

Abstract

This study examined whether athletes’ attachment styles with the coach were linked to aspects of the coach–athlete relationship quality and, in turn, whether relationship quality was linked to athletes’ well-being. One hundred and ninety-two athletes completed a questionnaire measuring their attachment styles and relationship quality with the coach as well as their feelings of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis found athletes’ avoidant and secure attachment styles to be associated with aspects of coach–athlete relationship quality such as social support, relationship depth, and interpersonal conflict. Interpersonal conflict appeared to play a key role in athletes’ PA and NA. From a practical perspective, an understanding of conflict management could provide a resource that allows athletes (and coaches) to enhance the quality of their sporting relationships. Specifically, an awareness of proactive strategies (e.g., steps to clarify expectations) and reactive strategies (e.g., cooperation during the discussion of disagreements) could potentially lead both coaches and athletes to “broaden” their viewpoints and in turn “build” connections that are capable of generating positive emotions including interest, excitement, happiness, and zeal.     

Stress-related psychological factors for back pain among athletes: Important topic with scarce evidence

Health issues represent a frequent problem for athletes, as this particular demographic is repeatedly confronted with physically and psychologically stressful situations. Back pain (BP) materialises as comparatively common health problem being regarded as functionally limiting and psychologically straining burden for athletes. According to research conducted on athletes with BP, biomechanical and physiological mechanisms emerge as influential, whereas stress-related psychological factors appear to be neglected. For athletic injuries, the essential impact of psychological processes on injury occurrence and return from injury has already been corroborated. Hence, the aim of this literature review is to: (1) introduce a conceptual differentiation between injuries and BP; (2) summarise the results obtained regarding stress-related psychological aspects for injuries; and (3) connect the injury research to the state-of-the-art evidence regarding stress-related factors for BP among athletes. A distinction between injuries and BP could be established based on previous definitions, despite the fact that a considerable overlap between both concepts prevails. Injuries can be attributed to a physical origin, whereas BP frequently lacks this physical criterion. For BP, our enquiry yielded four studies including psychological measures of stress – with two studies specifically examining the association between BP and psychological stress among athletes longitudinally. Abundant findings from the general population support the importance of considering psychological and specifically stress-related factors in BP prevention and rehabilitation, but evidence related to the athletic field remains elusive. Further scientific investigations with a wider methodological approach are needed to deepen the knowledge about the crucial relationship between psychological stress, BP, and athletes.     

Examining coaches’ perceptions of how their stress influences the coach–athlete relationship

This study extends recent coach stress research by evaluating how coaches perceive their stress experiences to affect athletes, and the broader coach–athlete relationship. A total of 12 coaches working across a range of team sports at the elite level took part in semi-structured interviews to investigate the 3 study aims: how they perceive athletes to detect signals of coach stress; how they perceive their stress experiences to affect athletes; and, how effective they perceive themselves to be when experiencing stress. Following content analysis, data suggested that coaches perceived athletes able to detect when they were experiencing stress typically via communication, behavioural, and stylistic cues. Although coaches perceived their stress to have some positive effects on athletes, the overwhelming effects were negative and affected “performance and development”, “psychological and emotional”, and “behavioural and interaction” factors. Coaches also perceived themselves to be less effective when stressed, and this was reflected in their perceptions of competence, self-awareness, and coaching quality. An impactful finding is that coaches are aware of how a range of stress responses are expressed by themselves, and to how they affect athletes, and their coaching quality. Altogether, findings support the emerging view that coach stress affects their own, and athlete performance.     

An examination of psychosocial variables moderating the relationship between life stress and injury time-loss among athletes of a high standard

Based on Williams and Andersen's model of stress and athletic injury, six psychosocial variables were assessed as possible moderators of the relationship between life stress and injury among 121 athletes (65 males, 56 females) competing in a variety of sports at state, national or international level. No significant effects of the sex of the participants were evident. Correlational analyses revealed moderator effects of several variables. Specifically, dispositional optimism and hardiness were related to decreased injury time-loss in athletes when positive life change increased, and global self-esteem was associated with decreased injury time-loss when both negative life change and total life change increased. The results indicate that athletes with more optimism, hardiness or global self-esteem may cope more effectively with life change stress, resulting in reduced injury vulnerability and recovery rates.     

The effects of perceived and received support on self-confidence

Abstract

A sample of 222 university athletes (mean age 19.8 years, s = 2.0), ranging in standard from university second team to international competitor, completed a measure of perceived support 2 weeks before an important competition or match. On the day before the competition or match, the athletes completed measures of stressors, stress, received support, and self-confidence. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses revealed the following key findings: (i) main effects for both perceived (ΔR ² = 0.11) and received support (ΔR ² = 0.14) upon self-confidence; (ii) stress-buffering effects for both perceived (ΔR ² = 0.02) and received (ΔR ² = 0.07) support upon self-confidence; (iii) when both aspects of support were considered simultaneously, stress-buffering effects were primarily attributable to the influence of received support. These results demonstrate the beneficial impact of social support on self-confidence, both directly and by reducing the negative effect of stress on self-confidence. Our findings emphasize the need to recognize the distinction between perceived and received support, both in terms of theory and the design of social support interventions with athletes.