Estrategias de afrontamiento y su relación con la ansiedad en deportistas

Abstract

Coping strategies refer to the cognitive and behavioral skills used to cope with different significant events. Anxiety is a response to a normal or pathological stimulus. Objective: to determine the relationship between coping strategies (CS) and anxiety in athletes. Method: The study presents a cross-section, correlational with a quantitative approach of descriptive scope, not experimental. The participants were made up of 112 athletes from the province of Pastaza, Ecuador, 57 women and 55 men. These were evaluated using the Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Results: The relevant research findings showed a positive correlation of low intensity between coping strategies and anxiety, just in four dimensions; self-criticism, emotional expression, wishful thinking, and social withdrawal; according to the mean of the CS, problem solving and cognitive restructuring are the most widely used; The level of anxiety between men and women was similar, although the total sum of mild, moderate and severe anxiety suggests the presence of anxiety in novice crossfitter athletes. Conclusions: Athletes with a higher level of anxiety mostly use maladaptive CS; self-criticism, wishful thinking, social withdrawal, and employ an adaptative strategy which is emotional expression.