Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes faced unprecedented challenges, prompting researchers to investigate the role of self-compassion in their coping strategies. This mixed-methods study explored how self-compassion influenced athletes’ coping through cognitive appraisal during the pandemic, offering valuable insights into mental well-being strategies for athletes.
Key Takeaways and Practical Applications:
Self-Compassion and Coping Mechanisms:
- Athletes with higher levels of self-compassion were less likely to engage in avoidance-focused coping strategies during the pandemic.
- Self-compassion was associated with increased use of emotion-focused coping strategies, such as seeking social support and maintaining a positive mindset.
- Coaches and sports psychologists can incorporate self-compassion training into athletes’ mental skills development programs to encourage healthier coping strategies, particularly in challenging situations like the pandemic.
Cognitive Appraisal and Coping:
- Self-compassion influenced athletes’ perceptions of the pandemic, affecting their appraisal of threat, significance, and control.
- Higher self-compassion led athletes to perceive the pandemic as less threatening to their sport experience, reducing their likelihood of adopting avoidance-focused coping strategies.
- Educating athletes about the cognitive appraisal process can empower them to recognize and challenge negative interpretations, fostering resilience and adaptive coping mechanisms.
Quantitative and Qualitative Insights:
- While quantitative analysis revealed significant relationships between self-compassion, cognitive appraisal, and coping strategies, qualitative responses provided rich insights into athletes’ emotional experiences and coping mechanisms during the pandemic.
- Integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches in athlete support programs can offer a comprehensive understanding of athletes’ experiences and inform tailored interventions for mental well-being.
Limitations and Future Directions:
- The study identified limitations such as sample size, lack of ethnic diversity, and timing of data collection, highlighting the need for further research to validate findings and explore additional factors influencing athletes’ coping mechanisms.
- Future studies should address these limitations by recruiting more diverse samples and employing longitudinal designs to assess the long-term impact of self-compassion interventions on athletes’ well-being.
This study underscores the importance of self-compassion in athletes’ coping strategies during challenging circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic. By fostering self-compassion and addressing cognitive appraisals, coaches and sports psychologists can empower athletes to navigate adversity effectively and maintain their mental well-being.