Precompetitive achievement goals, stress appraisals, emotions, and coping among athletes

Nicholls, Adam R.; Perry, John L.; Calmeiro, Luis

Abstract

Grounded in Lazarus’ (1991, 1999, 2000) Cognitive-Motivational-Relational theory of emotions, we tested a model of achievement goals, stress appraisals, emotions, and coping. We predicted that pre-competitive achievement goals would be associated with appraisals; appraisals with emotions; and emotions with coping in our model. The mediating effects of emotions among the overall sample of 827 athletes and two stratified random sub-samples were also explored. The results of this study support our proposed model in the overall sample and the stratified sub-samples. Further, emotion mediated the relationship between appraisal and coping. Mediation analyses revealed that there were indirect effects of pleasant and unpleasant emotions, which indicates the importance of examining multiple emotions to reveal a more accurate representation of the overall stress process. Our findings indicate that both appraisals and emotions are just as important in shaping coping.

Citation

Nicholls, A. R., Perry, J. L., & Calmeiro, L. (2014). Precompetitive achievement goals, stress appraisals, emotions, and coping among athletes. Journal of sport & exercise psychology, 36(5), 433-445. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2013-0266

• Publication Date: 2014-10
• Deposit Date: May 26, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: May 26, 2015
• Journal: Journal of sport and exercise psychology
• Print ISSN: 0895-2779
• Publisher: Human Kinetics
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 36
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 433-445
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2013-0266
• Keywords: Achievement goals; Challenge; Coping; Stress appraisals; Threat; Structural equation modelling
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/374154
• Publisher URL: http://journals.humankinetics.com/jsep-back-issues/jsep-volume-36-issue-5-october/precompetitive-achievement-goals-stress-appraisals-emotions-and-coping-among-athletes
• Additional Information: Author's accepted manuscript of article published in: Journal of sport and exercise psychology, 2014, v.36, issue 5 at http://journals.humankinetics.com/jsep-back-issues/jsep-volume-36-issue-5-october/precompetitive-achievement-goals-stress-appraisals-emotions-and-coping-among-athletes
• Contract Date: May 26, 2015