Mason, Samuel, S. (2023) Distress in Elite Youth Soccer Players: Testing the Links with Coping Strategies and Mental Coaching. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
In sport and beyond, distress represents a mental state that has negative implications for performance, well-being, and physical health. Considering the transactional stress model, this mental state may be affected by the coping strategies employed. Thus, the present research aimed to examine: (1) the association between youth soccer players' coping strategies and their level of distress and (2) the effect of mental coaching on level of distress through coping. This study used existing survey data of 1936 male youth soccer players (M = 15.15 years, SD = 2.27), who all played for elite youth teams in the Netherlands. As anticipated, problem-focused and appraisal-focused coping were negatively related to distress, whereas avoidance coping was positively related to distress. Further, in line with our hypothesis, mental coaching had a positive effect on problem-focused and appraisal-focused coping but, against prediction, also positively affected avoidance coping. Although there was no direct effect of mental coaching on distress, the tested mediation effect in this relationship was significant for both avoidance and appraisal-focused coping, and in an additional exploratory analysis, also for problem-focused coping. Our findings suggest that coping is an important factor when seeking to reduce distress among elite youth soccer players. Limitations, future research directions, and implications are discussed. Keywords: Distress, coping, mental coaching, youth soccer, elite
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Yperen, N. van |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Talent Development and Creativity (TDC) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Feb 2023 10:43 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Feb 2023 10:43 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/1662 |
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