Stress management refers to the actions or efforts of individuals, groups, or organizations to cope with or manage stressful situations (Nitsch & Hackfort, 2016). Stress occurs when a situation is perceived as threatening and the individual appraises their personal resources or skills as insufficient to meet the situational demands (Lazarus, 1991). This stress process usually results in both physiological responses such as the release of cortisol and psychological responses such as the emotional experience of anxiety. In sports, athletes are faced with stressors that are competitive (i.e., performance pressures and expectations), organizational (i.e., athlete’s role within the sport organization), and personal (i.e., relationship problems with partner).
To manage stress, people can use problem-focused strategies (like goal setting or problem solving) or emotional-focused strategies (like relaxation or meditation) (Hanton & Mellalieu, 2014).
Sport psychologists teach athletes strategies such as cognitive and behavioral relaxation, meditation techniques, mindfulness, and biofeedback training (i.e., electroencephalography and electrocardiography) to decrease the intensity of the emotional response experienced (i.e., competitive anxiety symptoms). They also provide strategies such as mental imagery and self-talk to restructure the interpretation of these symptoms from a negative to a positive viewpoint. Athletes equipped with individualized stress management skills (i.e., implemented in a pre-performance routine) are better able to withstand stress and recover more easily after stressful events (i.e., mental toughness) (Hanton & Mellalieu, 2014).
Stress management is important for everyone, not just athletes, because we all face stressful situations in life (Nitsch & Hackfort, 2016). Therefore, individuals can benefit from psychologists offering individualized psychological skills training and stress management interventions (SMI) as a form of mental fitness training, similar to physical fitness training (Nitsch & Hackfort, 2016).
Hanton, S., & Mellalieu, S. D. (2014). Coping with stress and anxiety. In A. G. Papaioannou, & D. Hackfort (Eds.), Routledge companion to sport and exercise psychology (pp. 430445). New York: Routledge.
Lazarus. (1991). Emotion and adaptation. New York: Oxford University Press.
Nitsch, J. R., & Hackfort, D. (2016). Theoretical framework of performance psychology: An action theory perspective. In M. Raab, B. Lobinger, S. Hoffmann, A. Pizzera, & S. Laborde (Eds.), Performance psychology. Perception, action, cognition, and emotion (pp. 1129). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
