University of Lethbridge
Temporal analysis of endurance athletes' coping during competitive suffering episodes
Abstract
This study aimed to distinguish the coping efforts of athletes who endured shorter, and longer, durations of competitive suffering. Eleven male and 15 female endurance athletes (Mage= 35.8, sd= 12.1) completed a 5km competitive suffering running time-trial task. Following the task, threat perceptions and coping function use (problem focused, PFC; emotion focused, EFC; and avoidance, AvC) were measured in 200 meter intervals using video mediated recall. Control beliefs were also assessed. Those who suffered for shorter durations used more EFC during initiation and at the peak of competitive suffering, as well as less AvC during initiation, in comparison to longer duration sufferers. PFC use did not distinguish competitive suffering duration. Non-significant correlations were revealed between control beliefs and both suffering duration and coping function use. Overall, the results imply that emotion-focused coping is the most appropriate coping function to decrease competitive suffering duration, regardless of control beliefs.
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Authors
-
- Evans, Michael Blair
- University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
Subjects
dc:subject × 7Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Identifier
- hdl:10133/2532
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:opus.uleth.ca:10133/2532