WAYS OF COPING WITH STRESS: A STUDY ON TAEKWONDO TRAINERS IN TURKEY

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1 International Journal of Multidisciplinary Thought, CD-ROM. ISSN: :: 04(04): (2014) Copyright c 2014 by UniversityPublications.net WAYS OF COPING WITH STRESS: A STUDY ON TAEKWONDO TRAINERS IN TURKEY Umit Dogan Ustun, Osman Gumusgul, Mehmet Demirel and Mehmet Goral Celal Bayar University, Turkey The aim of this study is to investigate taekwondo trainers ways of coping with stress according to socio-demographic features. For this aim randomly chosen 221 taekwondo trainers (mage: 33.6±8.85)volunteered for the study. As data gathering tool Ways of Coping with Stress Inventory, Turkish adaptation study was made by Sahin and Durak, was used. The scale is consisted of 30 items and 5 factors. The data was evaluated with SPSS 16 package program for Windows. In the evaluation of data first reliability analysis made for the sampling group and Kolmogorov Smirnov statistical analysis made for if the data was showing normal distribution. Also in addition to descriptive statistical methods such as frequency (f) and percentage (%), independent samples t test and one way anova statistical methods madefor significant differences (p=0.05). As a result it was found that taekwondo trainers mostly prefer optimistic approach as a strategy for coping with stress. Also their strategiesfor coping with stress significantly differ according to their gender, age and coaching step (p<0.05). Keywords: Stress, Coping with stress, Taekwondo, Trainer. Introduction As a word, stress is derived from the word Estrictia in Latin and the word Esterce in old French. In Turkish the word stress means tension, force, violence and falling in trouble (Soykan, 2013). Broadly speaking, stress is commonly perceived in terms of general physiological and psychological reactions that provoke adversarial mental or physical health conditions when an individual s adaptive capabilities are overextended (Babatunde, 2013). Stress is a negative passion including the biochemical, physiological, understanding, behavioral changes (Azadi, 2013). Coping With Stress According to Lazarus (1993) psychological stress states are presumably brought about by different antecedent conditions, both in the environment and within the individual, and have different consequences and stress cannot be considered in terms of a single dimension such as activation. And according to Lazarus cognitive-motivation-relational theory (CMR), emotions are generated by the evaluation of an individual s decisions about his/her environment in relation to personal aims. An individuals relationship with his/her environment generates emotions and emotions can be defined as motivational because they are reactions to the status of everyday aims (Lazarus, 2000). 519

2 520 Ways of Coping With Stress: A Study on Taekwondo Trainers in Turkey Stress and emotion process is an individual s cognitive-evaluative reactions to stressors, which are underpinned by the notion of relational meaning which refers to the meaning a person construes from their relationship with the environment (Neil et al, 2011). Lazarus (2000) also argued that, coping strategies influence the emotions which individuals experience. Furthermore, emotions can also influence how individuals cope. Lazarus (1991, 1993) also indicated that coping affects subsequent stress reactions in two main ways: Problem Focused Coping & Emotion Focused Coping. And according to Perrewe and Zellars (1999) motion-focused and problem focused cope strategies can complement each other, because they attempt to change different aspects of the disturbed person-environment relationship that coping is meant to change Lazarus CMT model pioneered studies in the literature (Oakland, Ostell, 1996; Watson et al, 1998). Sport and Stress Relation Participating in sport can be a stressful experience (Nichols et al, 2012).Hence coping with stress in sport has received increased attention by researchers in recent years (Anshel, Sutarso, 2007). According to Nwankwo, Onyisi (2012) people, when engaged in sporting activities, they are faced with stress as threats arising from time management, failures, inconsistencies, stressors, and fear. When looked at the literature it can be seen that researchers tried to find out effects of stress to success (Anshel, Sutarso, Jubenville, 2009;Bahramizade, Besharat, 2010; Harwood, Knight, 2009, Tazegul, 2012a,b). But according to Donuk et al (2013)both competitive and organizational stresses are between major categories of stress for sport managers and trainers. Organizational stress is defined as work-related social psychological stress and conceived it to be an interaction between an employee and the work environment to which he or she is exposed and competitive stress is the psychological mood which is observed in coaches and managers before, during and after competition. And it is possible to see studies, conducted about to explain stress and its effects on sport coaches (Burton, Raedeke, 2008; Fletcher, Scott, 2010; Hudson et al, 2013) Stress occurs in individuals or groups when their situation is overly complex, ambiguous and unclear, as well as highly demanding with regard to competence or structural means to deal with the demands (Stordeur et al, 2001). According to information given above the aim of this study is to investigate taekwondo trainers cope strategies with stress. Material and Method Study Group The study group was consisted of 230 taekwondo trainers who participated in seminar, held in Antalya, in December But answers of 221 trainers, who answered the scale in full response, were calculated. The trainers were randomly chosen and volunteered for the study. The sampling group s number (221) was considered to be enough (Teddly, Yu, 2007; Ural, Kilic, 2011: 46).

3 Umit DoganUstun et al. 521 Assessment Tool In this study as data gathering tool in addition to personal information form organized by the researchers, Folkman& Lazarus Ways of Coping with Stress Inventory, Turkish adaptation study held by Sahin and Durak (1995), was used. Turkish version of WCSI is consisted of 30 items and five subscales such as Self-confident approach, Optimistic approach, Desperate approach, Submissive approach and Researching for social support. Items 8, 10, 14, 16, 20, 23, 26 constitute self-confident approach subscale, items 3, 7, 11, 19, 22, 25, 27, 28 constitute desperate approach subscale, items 5,13, 15, 17, 21, 24 constitute submissive approach subscale, items 2, 4, 6, 12, 18 constitute optimistic approach subscale and items 1, 9, 29 and 30 constitute researching for social support subscale. Cronbach alpha was calculated by Sahin and Durak for the subscales as 0.80 for selfconfident approach subscale, 0.73 for desperate approach subscale, 0.70 for submissive approach subscale, 0.68 for optimistic approach subscale and 0.47 for researching for social support subscale. Analysis of Data The data evaluated with SPSS 16 for windows package program. In the evaluation of data firs reliability analyses made for the sampling group and then One Sample Kolmogorov Smirnov test made as a normality test. Also in addition to descriptive statistics tests percentage (%) and frequency (f), independent samples t test and One way Anova tests made for significant differences (p=0.05) (Wilkinson, 1999). According to reliability analyze results overall mean for total items calculated as and correlation as Also cronbach alpha of scale for sampling group calculated as r= So it can be said that the scale is reliable for the sampling group. In addition, according to One Sample Kolmogorov Smirnov test results variances shows normal distribution in all subscales. Findings Table 1. Socio Demographic Features of the Participants. Age Gender Education Average Monthly Income F % 35 & below & over Total Female Male Total High School 88 39,8 Under Graduate 37 16,7 Graduate 88 39,8 Master 8 3,6 Total ,0 899 & Below 48 21, TL 62 28, TL 46 20, & over TL 65 29,4

4 522 Ways of Coping With Stress: A Study on Taekwondo Trainers in Turkey Age Coaching Level F % 35 & below & over Total , , , ,5 Total ,0 Table 1 is about frequency and percentage distributions of sampling groups socio demographic features. As seen in table 1, 141 of the participants (%63.8) are in the age of 35 or below, 157 of them (% 71) are male and 88 (%39.8) have graduate degree. Also 65 (% 29.4) of the participants have 2000 or over TL as average monthly income, 95 (%43) of them have 1 level coaching certificate. Graphic 1. Coping Strategies. Graphic 1 is about coping strategies of the participants. According to analyze results sampling group mostly choose optimistic approach (2.89±0.71) as a strategy to struggle with stress and the least chosen coping strategy is desperate approach (2.37±0.73).

5 Umit DoganUstun et al. 523 Graphic 2. T test Results According to Gender. In graphic 2 there are t test results according to gender of the participants. According to analyze results males subscale points are higher in optimistic approach subscale (2.92±0.7) and submissive approach subscale (2.87±0.65) than females. But these differences are not significant (p>0.05). But sampling group s coping strategies significantly differ in self-confident (t 0.05 =2.76; p=0.007; p<0.05) and desperate (t 0.05 =2.12; p=0.036; p<0.05) subscales in favor of females. Graphic 3. T testt Results According to Age. Graphic 3 is about t test results according to sampling group s age. According to analyze results trainers, at the age of 36&over, points are higher in optimistic approach (2.92±0.8) and in submissive approach (2.88±0. 69) subscales. But thesee differences are not significant (p>0.05). But sampling group s coping strategies significantly differ in self-confident approach (t 221 =3.51; p=0.001 p<0.05) and desperatee approach (t 221 =3.21; p=0.002; p< <0.05) subscales in favor of trainers who are at the age of 35& &below.

6 524 Ways of Coping With Stress: A Study on Taekwondo Trainers in Turkey Graphic 4. One Way Anova Results According to Coaching Level. In graphic 4 there are Anova results according to Training Level of the participants. According to analyze results trainers, who have first level training certificate, points are higher in self-confidentapproach (F (220 2)=0.73; p>0.05) and desperate approach (F (220 2)=1.44; p> >0.05) subscales. But thesee differences are not significant (p>0.05). But sampling group s coping strategiess significantly differ in optimistic approach (F (2 20 2)=6.47; p=0.002; p<0.05), submissive approach (F (220 2) =7..01; p=0.001 p<0.05) and social support approach (F ( )=3.66; p=0.027; p<0.05) subscales. And according to Tukey test results it is thought that these significant differences occur because of trainers who have third level training certificate in optimistic and submissive subscales, and trainers who have second level training certificate in social support subscales. Results and Discussion This study investigated taekwondo trainers coping strategies of stress. Stress is common among athletes, actors, musicians, workers and students because they all perform their tasks in the presence of stressors (Nwankwo, Onyisi, 2012). In this study we found that taekwondo trainers mostly choose optimistic approach as a coping strategy with stress (see graphic 1). According to Chang (2002) optimism is associated with greater positive psychological outcomes. So according to this result it can be considered that, in taekwondo, as a sport branch, trainers choose optimistic approach as a coping strategy because of optimism s positive outcomes. In this study we also found sampling group s coping strategies significantly differ in selfconfident approach and desperate approach subscales in favor of females (seee graphic 2) ).This result may occur because females, as human beings, are more complex about emotions and their nature and they may act more with emotions than males. Kaiser et al (2009) argued in their study that personality traits, such as mental toughness, may influence the coping process directly via the choice of coping strategy.

7 Umit DoganUstun et al. 525 It is also found in this study that sampling group s coping strategies significantly differ in self-confident approach and desperate approach subscales in favor of trainers who are at the age of 35&below (see graphic 3).This may be because of trainers at the age of 35&below may suffer less job stress than trainers at the age of 36&over. In this study we lastly found that, sampling group s coping strategies significantly differ in optimistic approach, submissive approach and researching for social supportsubscales.these differences occurred because of trainers, who have third level training certificate in optimistic approach and submissive approach subscales, and trainers who have second level training certificate in researching for social support subscales (see graphic 4). We think there is a positive relationship between proficiency and year on working. And in taekwondo year on working is equal with training level. And when training level increases both proficiency and expectations increase as well and you are always expected to perform your best. And in sports such as taekwondo when expectations increases stress amount you may face increases as well and you may not always perform your best or vice versa. In their study Sullivan and Bhagat (1992) argues four hypotheses about job performance and stress and they emphasizes about negative linear relationship about job performance and stress. According to this theory individual, when faced with stress, spend time on coping or engaging in undesirable activities such as sabotage or wasting time. This theory supports our hypothesis. And similarly Tazegul (2012a) found in his study that athletes who have a low level of stress cope more effectively. Conclusion and Recommendation According to our hypothesis (h 1 ) individual differenceshave effect on coping strategies with stress.and in our study on taekwondo trainers, according to analyze results we accept our hypothesis (h 1 ) about coping strategies. Stress is a social phenomenon and should be paid attention and coping strategies must be evaluated carefully. Also further studies must be carried out about their relationship in the extent of sport and sportsmen. Bibliography 1. Anshel, M. H., Sutarso, T., &Jubenville, C. (2009). Racial and gender differences on sources of acute stress and coping style among competitive athletes. The Journal of Social Psychology, 149, Anshel, M.H., Saturso, T. (2007). Relationships between sources of acute stress and athletes coping style in competitive sport as a function of gender. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 8, Azadi, Y. (2013). Comparison of stress degree and the methods to cope with stress in both athletes and nonathletes adults. Advances in Environmental Biology, 7(7): Babatunde, A. (2013). Occupational stress: A review on conceptualisations, causes and cure. Economic Insights Trends and Challenges, 2(3), Bahramizade, H., Besharat, M.A. (2010). The impact of styles of coping with stress on sport achievement. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, Burton, D., Raedeke, T. (2008). Psychological and organizational factors related to burnout in athletic trainers. Athletic Train, 21, Chang, E.C., Rand, K.L., Strunk, D.R. (2000). Optimism and risk for job burnout among working college students: stress as a mediator. Personality and Individual Differences,

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