A qualitative exploration of how lifetime stressor exposure influences sport performers’ health, well-being, and performance

ABSTRACT

Background and objectives

Recent research has shown that lifetime stressor exposure can negatively impact sport performers. However, this work has predominantly relied on quantitative methods, which has provided limited information regarding how stressors occurring over the life course affect health, well-being, and performance. This study aimed to explore how relatively high levels of lifetime (non-sport and sport-specific) stressor exposure influenced sport performers’ health, well-being, and performance.

Methods and Design

To identify participants who had experienced high lifetime (non-sport and sport-specific) stressors, we used criterion-based purposeful sampling from a prior study. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews, complemented by timelining, were conducted with 22 sport performers (17 female; M_age = 25.89, SD = 10.20).

Results

We used reflexive thematic analysis to develop three overarching themes that illustrate how high lifetime (non-sport and sport-specific) stressor exposure influences sport performers’ health, well-being, and performance. These were: psychological (e.g., maladaptive coping strategies), social (e.g., difficulties in building relationships), and behavioral (e.g., risky behaviors) factors.

Conclusions

These findings can help practitioners identify sport performers at risk of developing stress-related health, well-being, and performance problems, and may aid the development of effective interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Adversity
• assessment
• life stress
• qualitative
• timelining

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

G.M.S. was supported by grant #OPR21101 from the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research/California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine. These organizations had no role in planning, writing, editing, or reviewing this article, or in deciding to submit this article for publication.