A Conceptual Framework of Personal Stressors

Abstract

Rationale: Stress is a fundamental part of all competitive sport (Hardy et al., 1997). As suggested by Dugdale, Eklund, and Gordon (2002), athletes must effectively cope with a variety of stressors in order to perform optimally; these include performance, organisational and personal stressors (Mellalieu, Neil, Hanton, & Fletcher, 2009). Previous research has delved into the concepts of performance and organisational stressors but personal stressors are yet to be the sole focus of any study to date. The purpose of this study was to explore this notion of personal stress and identify an initial model of personal stressors. Methods: Six participants (three male, three female) from a variety skill levels and sports completed diaries and took part in interviews over a three week period in order to obtain information about any stressful experiences that the participants had encountered. Results: Deductive content analysis allowed for the development of a framework of personal stressors consisting of seven general dimensions: significant others, occupational demands, financial demands, imbalance of different life aspects, technology issues, negative aspects of social events and a miscellaneous category. Conclusion: Due to the contemporary nature of this study, a number of implications, strengths, and limitations were presented. Suggestions were made concerning future research to extend this line of inquiry and the importance of investigation into personal stress was highlighted.