Psychological Vulnerability Associated With Stress Coping Strategies in Japanese University Athletes

• Published in: Journal of clinical sport psychology 2023-12, Vol.17 (4), p.449-463
• Main Authors: Yamaguchi, Shinji, Kawata, Yujiro, Murofushi, Yuka, Shibata, Nobuto, Ota, Tsuneyoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1932-9261; 1932-927X
• DOI: 10.1123/jcsp.2021-0084

This study examined the stress coping strategies of athletes with high psychological vulnerability. The participants were 487 university athletes (mean age = 19.8 years, SD  = 0.88, 153 women). Data were collected using the Vulnerability Scale for University Athletes and General Coping Questionnaire and analyzed by conducting a multivariate analysis of variance. The results showed significant relationships between vulnerability and coping strategies ( r  = .11−.39). Vulnerability was most strongly related to the emotional support seeking aspect of emotion-oriented coping ( r  = .39). There was no significant difference in cognitive reinterpretation ( r  = .07). Vulnerability had a stronger relationship with emotion-oriented than problem-oriented coping, and high (vs. low) vulnerability athletes had significantly higher emotion-oriented-coping scores. These results suggest that vulnerable athletes need to be provided with appropriate emotional support to cope with stressful situations, as they rely heavily on a stress management strategy focusing on emotion regulation.