Locus of control and stress coping mechanisms: towards developing a psychological resilience program for athletes

Baolong Qi; LIZELLE E. VILLANUEVA, Ph.D.

doi:10.54097/ef1f1m96

Authors

Baolong Qi
LIZELLE E. VILLANUEVA, Ph.D.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/ef1f1m96

Keywords:

Stress coping, Psychological resilience program, Athletes

Abstract

This study assessed how student-athletes in the College of Sport Training at Chengdu Sport University assign their locus of control and discover the stress coping mechanisms they employ. The respondents of the study were total pool of 161 student-athletes enrolled in the College of Sport Training at Chengdu Sport University, engaging in diverse sports specifically volleyball, swimming, athletics, aerobics, basketball, tennis, badminton, table tennis, and soft tennis. Based on the findings, the following conclusions were arrived at by the researcher: The study surveyed predominantly male athletes aged 18-20 from various sports divisions, primarily from the Athletics division, with over 2 years of playing experience. Results showed that athletes attribute outcomes to factors like internal control, belief in powerful others, and chance. Self-assessment of their locus of control did not significantly vary based on factors like sex, age, sports division, or years of playing experience. Student athletes demonstrated effective stress coping mechanisms, with active emotional coping being the most commonly used. There was no notable variation in stress coping across demographic and sports-related variables. The study indicates showed stress coping mechanisms, suggesting that their perceived control may impact their stress management.

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