ABSTRACT
To cope is, of course, to deal successfully with a person, a predicament or some other kind of unwelcome situation; the term comes from the Greek word kolaphos, later anglicized to cop, meaning a strike with the fist. A coping strategy is a deliberate, rationally planned program for contending with persons or circumstances that might otherwise produce ANXIETY and STRESS. Usually, the coping strategy is aimed at the source of the anxiety, unlike defensive strategies, which are directed at the anxiety itself. Some people use coping strategies in preparation for a particular
event, while others employ them on a continuing basis; still others have no need for planned strategies. ‘‘There are numerous situations that athletes may find challenging, threatening, or harmful,’’ write Nikos Ntoumanis et al., ‘‘avoiding or recovering from INJURY, playing an important game, media attention, poor refereeing, bad weather conditions, provocative opponents.’’ Whatever strategy is used, it must be focused, whether on the
upcoming affair, an ongoing condition, or a personal state. Problemfocused strategies, for instance, are directed at trying to change the conditions under which anxieties or stresses occur. Enhanced planning, more information, greater effort, or new SKILL ACQUISITION may be in the repertoire of strategies that will enable someone to contend with a situation or an opponent more effectively and thus reduce anxiety. Concern for personal safety, for example, is a pervasive source of mental or emotional strain (a stressor) for many women, and developing a competence in physical self-defense can be ‘‘a transformative experience that enhances women’s overall sense of their capabilities,’’ according to Julie Weitlauf et al. By contrast, emotion-focused coping implicates the athlete in trying
to identify the specific EMOTION or set of emotions that lie at the source of his or her anxiety. EMOTIONAL CONTROL begins way before an event when athletes start to turn thoughts inwards, scrutinizing their own case histories to recognize specific persons, events, and situations where a sudden emotion has been experienced before. They can then rehearse appropriate responses. Controlling an emotion means being sensitive to cues, so that an
emotion like ANGER can be recognized before it displaces rational thought and leads to unreasonable responses, such as AGGRESSION and perhaps VIOLENCE.
