Athletes and adversities: athletic identity and emotional regulation in time of COVID-19

Costa, Sérgio Hofmeister de Almeida Martins; Santi, Giampaolo; Fronso, Selenia di; Montesano, Cristina; Gruttola, Francesco Di; Ciofi, Edoardo Giorgio; Morgilli, Luana; Bertollo, Maurizio

doi:10.1007/s11332-020-00677-9

Cited by 56 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Our results seem to be contradictory with previous studies that show lower anxiety and perceived stress among elite athletes during the COVID-19 crisis compared to either the general population or non-elite competitive athletes (Clemente-Suárez et al, 2020;Costa et al, 2020;di Fronso et al, 2020). However, in the present study, the measure of anxiety was contextualized to return to sport.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…A study on perceived stress in Italian athletes showed that male athletes and elite athletes (i.e., competing at the national and/or international level) displayed lower perceived stress during the COVID-19 lockdown than female and non-elite athletes, respectively (di Fronso et al, 2020). Additionally, Clemente-Suárez et al (2020) found lower rates of anxiety in Olympic and Paralympic athletes than in the general population, suggesting that athletes may have more cognitive and emotional resources to face the confinement situation (Costa et al, 2020). Furthermore, in a qualitative study investigating psychological correlates of return to competition in basketball players, participants stated that participation in training programs prior to returning to sport increased their confidence in having better performance and lower fear of reinjury, and that reaching their pre-injury levels of performance was the main motivation to give "100% effort" in training programs before returning to competition (Conti et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Anxiety and Motivation to Return to Sport During the French COVID-19 Lockdown

et al. 2020

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Feeling anxious and presenting self-determined motivations about returning to sport after a break may impair sport performance and increase the risk of sustaining an injury. Hence, the aim of this study is to explore differences in anxiety and motivation to return to sport according to gender, expertise, training status before and during the lockdown, and athletes’ availability (i.e., injury status) at the time of the lockdown. A total of 759 competitive athletes (49% female; mean age: 27 ± 10 years old) completed the cross-sectional study. Participants were invited to state their expertise, training status before and during the lockdown (did they have a training program), and whether they were injured at the start of the lockdown. Additionally, participants filled out psychometric self-report measures of anxiety (TFAI-return) and motivation (SMS-return) to return to sport. Due to non-normal distributions in the TFAI and SMS scores, non-parametric group comparisons were performed to compare participants for each categorical variable: non-parametric correlation tests were also performed to test the associations between continuous variables. Group comparisons showed higher scores of anxiety for females, younger athletes, athletes practicing and competing at the highest level, and athletes without a training program during the lockdown. Moreover, results suggested lower motivation scores (i.e., autonomous and controlled) for older athletes, experts (practicing for more than 10 years), athletes practicing and competing at a lower level, and athletes without a training program during the lockdown. Additionally, participants who were injured at the start of the lockdown reported higher scores of cognitive anxiety to return to sport than non-injured participants. The results of this study suggest that elite athletes may have suffered from external pressures to return to sport during the lockdown. Additionally, participants with a training program during the lockdown seemed to be less anxious and more self-determined to return to sport after the lockdown. Future studies may focus on the impact of cognitive behavioral interventions on anxiety and motivation to return to sport.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anxiety and Motivation to Return to Sport During the French COVID-19 Lockdown

et al. 2020

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“…Moreover, these coaches may have worked with athletes who were able to continue their training also during lockdown, due to the organizational instrumental support ( Fletcher and Arnold, 2017 ). On the other hand, instead, non-elite coaches may have been working with athletes who divested from their athletic role ( Costa et al, 2020 ). Finally, due to their highly competitive working conditions and environment, elite coaches may have developed the ability to effectively and positively cope with high stressful situations ( Mellalieu et al, 2009 ; Fletcher and Scott, 2010 ; Olusoga et al, 2012 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, major national and international sporting competitions were suspended or postponed for 1 year ( Corsini et al, 2020 ; Gallego et al, 2020 ; Schinke et al, 2020 ). In addition to its large-scale impact on competition, the COVID-19 lockdown also impacted athletes, coaches, and supporting staff, who were kept away from their usual working (and social) environments ( Costa et al, 2020 ; Di Fronso et al, 2020 ; Jukic et al, 2020 ). In addition to limiting their ability to compete in the current season and to prepare for the next, these restrained living conditions and consequential forced physical isolation, may also have negatively impacted the psychological wellbeing of athletes, coaches and supporting staff.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Coaches’ Perception of Stress and Emotion Regulation Strategies

et al. 2021

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The recent global outspread of the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the lives of people across multiple countries including athletes, coaches, and supporting staff. Along with everybody else, coaches found themselves constrained to an at-home self-isolation, which limited their ability to normally engage with their profession and to interact with their athletes. This situation may also have impacted their own psychological well-being. With this study, we explored coaches’ perceptions of stress in relation to their emotion regulation strategies depending upon their gender and competitive level (elite vs. non-elite). A sample of 2272 Italian coaches were surveyed during the period of lockdown. Mean values for perceived stress and emotion regulation strategies were compared to normative data of the two instruments as reported in the original studies. Furthermore, two Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were completed to observe the potential differences in the coaches’ emotion regulation strategies and perception of stress. Finally, a blockwise regression analysis was run to assess how coaches’ emotion regulation strategies impacted upon their perception of stress. Both women and men reported higher levels of perceived stress than those reported in the normative data. Similarly, average scores for emotion regulation strategies were significantly different from those reported for normative data, in particular, coaches reported slightly higher use of emotion regulation strategies than participants in the original study. Significant gender-based differences emerged in terms of emotional regulations, with men adopting more suppression than women. No differences by competitive level were found. In terms of perceived stress, male coaches and elite coaches showed to be more in control of the situation (positive stress) than female coaches and non-elite coaches, respectively, while women experienced more negative stress than men. The blockwise regression evidenced how reappraisal resulted to be predictive in helping coaches to reduce their perception of stress, while suppression predicted higher stress perceptions.

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“…Athletic identity will be the lowest in athletes who experience no change in motivation due to less rumination (see Costa et al, 2020 ). Trait anxiety is assumed to be the lowest in athletes who experience no change in motivation (see approach and avoidance temperament).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amateur and Recreational Athletes’ Motivation to Exercise, Stress, and Coping During the Corona Crisis

et al. 2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted mobility worldwide. As a corollary, the health of top- and lower-level athletes alike is profoundly reliant on movement and exercise. Thus, the aim of this study is to understand impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on athletes’ motivation to exercise and train. In detail, we aim to better understand who (i.e., demographic, sport-specific, and psychological state and trait variables) reported a change in motivation to train due to the lockdown, why they reported lower motivation (i.e., open-ended questions on problems), what they did to help themselves, what support they received from others, and what they are looking forward to after the lockdown (i.e., open questions). Questionnaire data and answers to these open-ended questions were assessed via an online questionnaire, completed by 95 amateur and recreational athletes during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Germany (April to mid-May 2020). Results show that greater numbers of female athletes are less motivated to train in comparison to male athletes (p = 0.029). No differences in motivation were found regarding type of sport (individual vs. team sport) and number of competitions during the year. Also, more motivated to train amateur and recreational athletes showed lower athletic identity than athletes who reported no change in motivation to exercise during the lockdown (p = 0.03). Additionally, differences in state emotional, perceived stress, and personality variables (i.e., orientation to happiness, volition) were found between athletes who stated that they were less motivated to train compared to athletes who reported no changes in motivation. In particular, closure of sports facilities and social distancing measures were perceived to be highly problematic. Even though athletes received emotional support, organized themselves via routines and schedules, and trained using online tools, they predominately stated that they wished that their coaches would have supported them more. Understanding the impacts of a pandemic-related lockdown on athletes’ motivation, athletes’ coping strategies, and their desired support will help better support them in future crises.

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Athletes and adversities: athletic identity and emotional regulation in time of COVID-19

Cited by 56 publications

References 26 publications

Anxiety and Motivation to Return to Sport During the French COVID-19 Lockdown

Anxiety and Motivation to Return to Sport During the French COVID-19 Lockdown

The Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Coaches’ Perception of Stress and Emotion Regulation Strategies

Amateur and Recreational Athletes’ Motivation to Exercise, Stress, and Coping During the Corona Crisis

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