The mediating role of coping: a cross-sectional analysis of the relationship between coping self-efficacy and coping effectiveness among athletes

Nicholls, Adam R.; Polman, Remco C. J.; Levy, Andrew R.; Borkoles, Erika

Abstract

This study examines the relationship among global coping self-efficacy, coping, and coping effectiveness within athletes. We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between coping self-efficacy and coping effectiveness, which would be mediated by coping. It was also predicted that coping strategies within the task-oriented coping dimension would be positively associated with coping effectiveness, whereas strategies from the disengagement- and distraction-oriented coping dimensions would be negatively associated with coping effectiveness. Participants were 353 athletes between the ages of 18 and 29 years, who completed a measure of coping self-efficacy the night before they competed, in addition to a measure of the athletes' use of coping strategies and their perceived coping effectiveness, which was completed immediately after the competitive event. Results revealed that higher global coping self-efficacy scores were significantly (r = .33, p < .01) associated with coping effectiveness. Furthermore, task-oriented and disengagement-oriented coping partially mediated this relationship, but distraction-oriented coping was not a significant partial mediator of the relationship between global coping self-efficacy and coping effectiveness.

Citation

Nicholls, A. R., Polman, R. C. J., Levy, A. R., & Borkoles, E. (2010). The mediating role of coping: a cross-sectional analysis of the relationship between coping self-efficacy and coping effectiveness among athletes. International Journal of Stress Management, 17(3), 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020064

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2010-08
• Journal: International Journal of Stress Management
• Print ISSN: 1072-5245
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 181-192
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020064
• Keywords: Applied Psychology; General Business, Management and Accounting; General Psychology; Education; General Medicine
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/405289
• Publisher URL: http://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0020064