Mental toughness, stress, stress appraisal, coping and coping effectiveness in sport

Polman, Remco; Kaiseler, Mariana; Nicholls, Adam

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between mental toughness, stressor appraisal, coping strategies and coping effectiveness among a sample of athletes. Participants were 482 athletes (male n=305: female n=177), aged between 16 and 45 years (M age=20.44 years, SD=3.98). In support of a priori predictions, mental toughness was associated with stress intensity and control appraisal, but not the type of stressor experienced by athletes. Total mental toughness and its six components predicted coping and coping effectiveness in relation to the self-selected stressor. In particular, higher levels of mental toughness were associated with more problem-focused coping, but less emotion-focused and avoidance coping. Coping effectiveness was influenced by the coping strategy employed by the athletes.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2009-11
• Journal: PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
• Print ISSN: 0191-8869
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 47
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 728-733
• APA6 Citation: Kaiseler, M., Polman, R., & Nicholls, A. (2009). Mental toughness, stress, stress appraisal, coping and coping effectiveness in sport. Personality and individual differences, 47(7), (728-733). doi:10.1016/j.paid.2009.06.012. ISSN 0191-8869
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.06.012
• Keywords: Mental toughness; Stress appraisal; Coping strategies; Coping effectiveness; Sport
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886909002748?via%3Dihub