STRESSORS, APPRAISALS AND COPING DURING INJURY ONSET: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

This study explored stressors, appraisals and coping efforts during injury onset. A purposeful sample of nine male injured athletes from various sports participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit information on stressors experienced, how these were perceived, how the athletes responded and the coping efforts employed. Causal networks illustrated the themes that emerged from the data and delineated the stress process experienced. Physical and psychosocial stressors were reported to be most common, with appraisals of harm / loss and threat being most prevalent among participants. Negative appraisals were largely associated with feelings of frustration, worry and questioning. Goal setting and cognitive restructuring were the most prominent coping efforts. Findings from this study enhance our understanding of the nature of stressful experiences post-injury and have important implications for the application of practical intervention during injury onset.