Study on Stress Management in Sport Organizations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbeag.70(2).13Keywords:
perceived stress, basketball, performance athletes, sports psychology, mental health, PSS-14Abstract
Organizational stress significantly influences athletic performance, especially in high-stakes sports environments. This study investigates perceived stress among high-performance basketball athletes, both foreign and Romanian, male and female, aged 18–30, affiliated with national and international clubs. Objectives: The primary objective of this research was to assess athletes’ perceived stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) and to classify stress levels into low, moderate, and high categories. Materials and Methods: The study employed a quantitative design, distributing the PSS-14 via Google Forms to a sample of 50 athletes. The scale consists of 14 items measuring emotional and cognitive stress experiences over the past month, scored on a five-point Likert scale. Data were collected securely and anonymously, with results processed using descriptive statistics and visualized through individual-level and item-based graphs. Results: The findings indicated that most athletes experience moderate levels of stress. Item-specific responses revealed the highest stress associated with the inability to control important things, feelings of anger, and difficulties coping. Differences between the first and second group of 25 athletes showed minor fluctuations in item responses. Conclusions: These findings highlight the prevalence of moderate perceived stress among performance basketball players. Addressing psychological stress through targeted interventions—such as resilience training, mental skills development, and psychosocial support—may enhance individual well-being and athletic performance. Regular monitoring using validated tools like PSS-14 can inform personalized strategies within sports organizations.
REZUMAT. Studiu privind managementul stresului în cadrul organizațiilor sportive. Această cercetare a vizat evaluarea nivelului de stres perceput în rândul sportivilor de performanță practicanți ai baschetului, activând atât în cadrul organizațiilor sportive din România, cât și din străinătate. Studiul a fost fundamentat pe aplicarea Scalei Percepute de Stres – PSS-14 (Cohen & Williamson, 1988), un instrument validat științific, recunoscut pentru eficiența sa în măsurarea stresului cotidian. Obiective: Obiectivul principal al lucrării a fost identificarea nivelului de stres în rândul baschetbaliștilor de performanță, diferențierea acestuia pe trei paliere (scăzut, mediu și ridicat), precum și analiza factorilor potențial asociați cu manifestarea acestuia în mediul competițional. Materiale și Metode: Cercetarea a fost desfășurată la data de 26 mai 2023, pe un eșantion de 50 de sportivi (bărbați și femei, cu vârste între 18–30 de ani), prin completarea online a chestionarului PSS-14, utilizând platforma Google Forms. Rezultatele au fost centralizate și interpretate cu ajutorul unei baze de date Excel, iar analiza a fost realizată prin metode descriptive. Rezultate: 66% dintre sportivi au prezentat un nivel mediu de stres perceput, 22% un nivel ridicat, iar doar 12% un nivel scăzut. Cele mai ridicate scoruri s-au înregistrat la itemii privind lipsa controlului și suprasolicitarea, în timp ce itemii pozitivi (autoeficacitate și capacitate de adaptare) au obținut scoruri sub 40% din totalul posibil. Nu s-au constatat diferențe semnificative între sexe, însă sportivii străini au raportat cu 8% mai multe simptome de stres ridicat decât cei autohtoni. Aceste rezultate subliniază necesitatea implementării unor strategii adaptative eficiente pentru menținerea performanței sportive. Analiza grafică a evidențiat variații notabile între itemi, indicând prezența unor factori specifici de stres, cum ar fi incertitudinea |competițională, presiunea performanței, relațiile interpersonale sau solicitările cognitive și afective. Rezultatele sugerează necesitatea intervențiilor de tip preventiv și al sprijinului psihologic în cadrul organizațiilor sportive, pentru a menține echilibrul psiho-emoțional al sportivilor. Concluzii: Studiul subliniază importanța monitorizării sistematice a stresului la sportivii de performanță și implementarea unor strategii adecvate de gestionare psihologică a acestuia. Intervențiile personalizate și susținerea din partea echipei tehnice pot contribui semnificativ la reducerea impactului stresului și la optimizarea performanței sportive.
Cuvinte-cheie: stres perceput, sportivi de performanță, organizații sportive, sănătate mintală, mecanisme de adaptare psihologică
Article history: Received 2025 June 06; Revised 2025 July 01; Accepted 2025 July 29; Available online 2025 July 30; Available print 2025 August 30
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