The influence of hardiness on the stress process in sport

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of hardiness on the stress process in sport, specifically its role in producing positive emotional orientations. A hardy amateur footballer reported the appraisals, coping, and behaviours that occurred when facing competitive stressors over eight weeks. Weekly diaries were used to obtain information on the specific aspects of the stress process the performer went through. Interviews took place every two weeks to further discuss the information collected. After a deductive analysis based on the transactional approach to stress, a number of hardy attitudes and behaviours were observed: A realistic viewpoint of the world, the appraisal of stressors as challenges to be overcome, and the use of transformational coping. By using such strategies the performer manipulated the stress process on a number of different occasions, to produce facilitative interpretations of anxiety. The findings indicate possible mechanisms by which hardiness influences the stress process, and how negative emotional reactions can be interpreted as positive for performance. How the findings relate to previous research, and the implications they have for future study are discussed.