Stressors and Coping among Voluntary Sports Coaches

Background: Sports coaching has been identified as a naturally stressful occupation. Coaches must be able to competently and effectively manage stress that is inherent in competitive sport and perform under pressure. Yet, limited research exists that has explored coaches’ experiences of psychological stress. The research that does exist has mainly focused on full-time, elite coaches who represent just 3% of the coaching workforce in the United Kingdom (U.K.). Despite the voluntary coaching workforce contributing to 72% of the total U.K. coaching personnel, little is known about the stressors that volunteer coaches experience or the ways in which they cope with these stressors. Purpose: To explore the stressors that voluntary coaches experience and the coping strategies that they use. Methods: Following institutional ethical approval, four (Mage = 38.5±11.68 years) voluntary coaches were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Each interview was conducted face-to-face and lasted between 56.44 and 84.25 minutes (Mduration= 66.95±12.19 minutes). Rich, in-depth data was collected during the interviews, which provided a thick description of knowledge. Thematic analysis was used to organise and analyse the data. To ensure the study has rigor and provides a significant contribution to the literature, self-reflexivity was used by the primary researcher throughout. Results: The coaches reported 28 different stressors, which were categorised into four higher-order themes: personal, athlete-related, organisational, and external/uncontrollable. Thirty nine different coping strategies were discussed, which were categorised into two higher-order themes: problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Overall, the stressors and coping strategies reported by the voluntary coaches in this study were similar to those reported in previous literature by paid coaches. Conclusion: This research represents some of the first to explore voluntary coaches’ experiences of stressors and coping strategies. Further research is warranted to explore voluntary coaches’ motivation to continue their engagement, despite the stressors they experience. The findings of this study may be of interest to national governing bodies and coaches who are at the forefront of the coaching sector

Assessing Psychosocial Work Environments of Coaches in Spain and Their Relationships With Mental Health, Behavioral Stress Symptoms, and Burnout

The purpose of this study was to assess the psychosocial work environments (PWE) among a sample of coaches in comparison to the reference values of the Spanish general workforce, as well as to explore the relationship between PWE and mental health, behavioral stress symptoms, and burnout. A representative sample (n=1481) of Spanish coaches (18.1% women, Mage=32.98, SD=11.60) completed a battery of questionnaires. Results showed that, in comparison to the general workforce, coaches showed statistically significant differences in most of the PWE areas assessed. The emotional demands experienced by coaches are a risk for health, while trust regarding management and recognition are positive features in their PWE. Coaches’ emotional demands were associated with low mental health scores and higher levels of behavioral stress symptoms and burnout, whereas social community at work and role clarity were protective factors for health. Practical implications to provide more favorable work environments for coaches are discussed

Organizational stress in competitive sport

Organizational stress continues to generate interest and research attention in sport psychology. This is largely because anecdotal and research evidence continues to highlight that the organizational environment in which sport performers, coaches, sport scientists, and other personnel operate is a breeding ground for experiencing stress. Although some individuals may interpret, respond, and cope well with the varying demands that they encounter in their sport teams and organizations, for others, this may have negative outcomes for their sport relationships, well-being, performance, and desire to continue participating in sport. For these reasons, research continues to be conducted to understand the concept of organizational stress in sport, and how it may be best managed to support the well-being and performance of individuals. This chapter will outline key concepts and theory relating to the concept of organizational stress. In addition, a summary of the origins of organizational stress in sport along with discussions of contemporary research in this area will be provided. Finally, a series of practical implications and future research recommendations will be outlined

Toward An Understanding of Psychological Well-Being among the Coach-Athlete-Sport and Exercise Psychology Practitioner Triad

Psychological well-being (PWB) is a pillar in global policy and holds important ramifications for health and performance, especially within the high stakes realm of performance sport. Recent United Kingdom governmental white papers, such as the duty of care report from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has led to uncertainty regarding whether the PWB, welfare, and safety of individuals in performance sport are given the priority and consideration they deserve. Despite this perturbing insight and previous relevant sport psychology enquiry, little is understood about PWB within and among athletes, coaches, and support staff. In particular, beyond an individual lens, there is a dearth of research that explores the interpersonal nature of PWB in the coach-athlete-SEPP triad. In this presentation, we will share novel insight that explores the individual and interpersonal meanings, antecedents, and outcomes of PWB within the coach-athlete-SEPP triad. We will also highlight key resources and strategies that can be used to maintain and bolster individual and interpersonal PWB. Underpinned by an interpretative paradigm and a social constructionist epistemology, we conducted individual and triadic interview methods with three coach-athlete-SEPP triads (n=12, >18 years of age) who were working within individual sports (e.g., athletics). We analysed data using abductive reasoning during reflexive thematic analysis. We found various factors that nourished and malnourished individual PWB among athletes, coaches, and practitioners, including: personal (e.g., prior experience), situational (e.g., controllability), social (e.g., relationship quality), behavioural (e.g., responses to others), and organizational (e.g., culture) factors. In addition, interpersonal well-being within the triads was influenced by relationship (e.g., dynamics), personal (e.g., openness), organizational (e.g., psychological safety), and situational (e.g., uncertainty) factors. Our findings also highlight that PWB can be transferred via a range of interpersonal mechanisms (e.g., interpersonal coping, emotional contagion, and social appraisal). Key strategies and resources, such as mutual sharing, individually tailored support packages, and cultivating environments where relationship can flourish, were identified by the participants as ways to protect, maintain, and bolster PWB. These findings implicate several recommendations for researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders. First, we recommend that researchers continue to develop interpersonal understanding of PWB in sport to generate a broader evidence base. In addition, we encourage sport organizations to consider how interventions (e.g., mentoring) can be tailored to augment and manage individual and interpersonal PWB among those at the front lines of sport

Development and initial validation of an instrument to assess stressors among South African sports coaches.

The aim of this series of studies was to develop and initially validate an instrument to assess stressors among South African sports coaches. In study one, a preliminary pool of 45 items was developed based on existing literature and an expert panel was employed to assess the content validity and applicability of these items. In study two, the 32 items that were retained after study one were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA). The resultant factorial structure comprised four components: environmental stressors, performance stressors, task-related stressors, and athlete stressors. These four components were made up of 26 items and, together, the components and items comprised the provisional Stressors in Sports Coaching Questionnaire (SSCQ). The results show that the SSCQ demonstrates acceptable internal consistency (.73-.89). The findings provide preliminary evidence that SSCQ is a valid tool to assess stressors among South African sports coaches

Understanding Social Networks and Social Support Resources with Sports Coaches

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordObjectives:Research on social support with sports coaches is limited, yetthe benefits of social support withinother occupationshave been widely reported. This study explored male and female sports coaches’ social network structures, the social support resources available to coaches, and the situations in which coaches use social support. Design:Cross-sectional. Method:Data were collected with male (n=6) and female (n=7) British coaches (Mage=34.20, 30SD=13.37; Mexperience=13.20, SD=10.41) using semi-structured interviews and interviewee-aided sociograms.Interview data and sociograms were analyzed using abductive thematic analysis and social network analysisto create ego-network diagrams. The ego-network diagrams were created toprovide information on the locality and influence of coaches’ social network members. Results:The ego-network diagrams highlight that the structure of coaches’ social networks encompassessupport from peers, friends, family, and miscellaneous (e.g., media). The diagrams also demonstrate that support from friends tended to be perceived as most influential. The coaches called on their network for appraisal (e.g., affirmation), emotional (e.g., venting), informational (e.g., training), and or instrumental support (e.g., cooking dinner )for a variety of situations,such as training (e.g., drill ideas) and issues with athletes (e.g., venting about a misbehaving player). Conclusion:Given the pertinenc eof coaches’ social networks and resources for performance and psychological well-being, coach education programs should include a focus onthe importance of building relationships. Longitudinal research methods are warranted to, for example, explore the dynamic functions of coaches’ social support. This will develop a more comprehensive base from which interventions can be developed

Organizational stress and well-being in competitive sport: A systematic review.

Research on organizational stress in sport has grown exponentially within the last two decades. Despite the volume of literature available, no systematic reviews exist to bring findings together in a single, rigorous point of reference. Filling this void helps researchers and practitioners to better understand organizational stress and its implications for health, well-being, and performance. The objectives of this study were to search for, appraise, and critically synthesize the literature on organizational stress (i.e., stressors, appraisals, coping, emotions) and or well-being within the context of organizational stress in competitive sport. In addition, we aimed to identify strengths of and gaps in the literature to progress conceptual, methodological, and applied understanding. A systematic review of literature was conducted using PRISMA guidelines and robust searches of PsycArticles, PsycInfo, and SPORTDiscus databases. The final sample comprised 55 methodologically sound studies with athletes, coaches, and or support staff. The findings of this review revealed a myriad of organizational stressors that were underpinned by a range of situational properties and were managed using a variety of coping options (e.g., problem solving, social support). Some important components of stress transactions (e.g., appraisals, emotions) and well-being have received scant attention in the context of organizational stress. Experiences of organizational stress among athletes, coaches, and support staff have highlighted implications for health- and performance-related outcomes. Future research should consider the use of longitudinal, diary, and integrative designs, in addition to analytical pluralism within under-represented populations (e.g., coaches, support staff) to deepen our understanding

Psychological Stress and Performance

Psychological stress is inherent in sport, particularly at the higher levels of competition, and has implications for individuals’ well-being and performance. Athletes, coaches, officials, and parents alike are influential stakeholders in sport and each of these groups of individuals are likely to experience stress at some point during their own or others’ sport careers. Psychological stress is an umbrella term that refers to many concepts that are each interrelated and idiosyncratic. This makes stress a complex area to learn about. This chapter will focus on some of the most widely studied components and outcomes of stress (i.e., stressors, appraising, coping, and well-being) and their relationships with performance to offer an introductory text that encourages further reading. Theoretical perspectives of stress are covered briefly to offer frameworks from which stress can be understood. Exercises are offered at regular intervals throughout the chapter to facilitate transference of readers’ knowledge. The chapter closes with implications for practitioners, national governing bodies, and researchers, and with concluding comments that consolidate important points from the chapter

Psychological stress and psychological well-being among sports coaches: a close proximity longitudinal daily diary study

It is essential to understand sports coaches’ experiences of psychological stress and psychological well-being (PWB) on a daily basis to better equip coaches to manage stress and improve well-being. Coaches make a vital contribution to sport and, given the potentially stressful nature of coaches’ roles, are required to manage their own PWB and performance alongside that of the athletes with whom they work. To better understand how to support coaches, we explored coaches’ experiences of stressors, primary appraisals, coping, and PWB using a close proximity longitudinal daily diary approach. Five sports coaches (one woman and four men) each completed an interval-contingent, daily diary over a 28-day period. The diary facilitated understanding of the coaches’ experiences of their worlds and captured descriptions of the coaches’ daily lives. Underpinned by our constructivist paradigm and following an abductive approach to data analysis, four experiences are presented (preparing for major events and championships, competition, admin and national governing body-related tasks, and work-life balance) using a trajectory approach. This method of data presentation allows understanding of each coach’s journey through their experiences as they occurred over the 28-day period. The experiences are categorized into themes representing stressors, primary appraisals, coping, and PWB. Collectively, the findings highlight that coaches experienced certain stressors (e.g., athlete-related) on a regular basis, and that they appraised (e.g., as a challenge) and coped with these experiences in different ways (e.g., via information seeking). The findings also demonstrate that stress experiences influenced different elements of the coaches’ PWB (e.g., relationships with others, personal growth) and that, occasionally, coaches may experience delayed or inaccessible appraisals of a stressor. LAY SUMMARY Five sports coaches’ experiences of psychological stress and psychological well-being are explored using close proximity daily diaries over a 28-day period. Four experiences (preparing for major events and championships, competition, admin and national governing body-related tasks, and work-life balance) are discussed to highlight how psychological stress influences coaches’ psychological well-being

One case, four approaches: The application of psychotherapeutic approaches in sport psychology

Practitioners in sport and exercise psychology tasked with service provision in any environment can decide which framework(s) they draw on to inform their applied work. However, the similarities and differences between psychotherapeutic approaches are underrepresented in current literature. Therefore, this paper brings together practitioners from 4 dominant psychotherapeutic approaches to address a specific hypothetical case. Four different cognitive-behavioral approaches are outlined: rational emotive behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, schema therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. Each practitioner outlines the particular approach and proceeds to address the case by covering assessment, intervention, and evaluation strategies that are specific to it. Similarities and differences across the approaches are discussed, and implications for practice are put forth. Finally, two other practitioners introduce motivational interviewing as an additional framework to foster the working alliance