A COMPLEX ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS IN ELITE ATHLETES, ITS DETERMINANTS, AND MECHANISMS OF EMOTIONAL REGULATION

Authors

  • Farida Juraqulovna Eshnazarova

    Samarkand Branch of the Institute for Retraining and Advanced Training of Specialists in Physical Education and Sports

Keywords: sport psychology, psychological stress, elite sport, emotional regulation, competitive pressure, stress determinants, psychological adaptation

Abstract

This article presents a complex analysis of psychological stress in elite athletes, its major determinants, and the mechanisms of emotional regulation. The study shows that stress in high-performance sport emerges through the interaction of individual psychological, activity-related, socio-organizational, and professional identity factors. Cognitive reappraisal, attentional control, physiological self-regulation, and constructive self-talk are identified as key mechanisms that support athletic stability and performance. The conclusions may be used to improve psychological preparation programs for elite athletes.

References

1. Lazarus R.S., Folkman S. Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 1984.

2. Gross J.J. The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review // Review of General Psychology. 1998. Vol. 2. No. 3. – P. 271–299.

3. Hanin Y.L. Emotions in Sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2000.

4. Arnold R., Fletcher D. A research synthesis and taxonomic classification of the organizational stressors encountered by sport performers // Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2012. Vol. 34. No. 3. – P. 397–429.

5. Fletcher D., Sarkar M. A grounded theory of psychological resilience in Olympic champions // Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 2012. Vol. 13. No. 5. – P. 669–678.

6. Jones G., Hanton S., Connaughton D. What is this thing called mental toughness? An investigation of elite sport performers. // Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. 2002. Vol. 14. No. 3. – P. 205–218.

7. Gucciardi D.F., Hanton S., Gordon S., Mallett C.J., Temby P. The concept of mental toughness: Tests of dimensionality, nomological network, and traitness // Journal of Personality. 2015. Vol. 83. No. 1. – P. 26–44.

8. Birrer D., Röthlin P., Morgan G. Mindfulness to enhance athletic performance: Theoretical considerations and possible impact mechanisms. // Mindfulness. 2012. Vol. 3. No. 3. – P. 235–246.

9. Nicholls A.R., Taylor N.J., Carroll S., Perry J.L. The development of a new sport-specific classification of coping and a meta-analysis of the relationship between different coping strategies and moderators on sporting outcomes. // Frontiers in Psychology. 2016. Vol. 7. Article 1674.

10. Laborde S., Dosseville F., Allen M.S. Emotional intelligence in sport and exercise: A systematic review. // Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 2016. Vol. 26. No. 8. – P. 862-874.