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Coping Strategies, Coping Inventory, Self-Regulation and Resilience in Regards to Anxiety or
Stress
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What Is Stress?
Virtually, in all human service and human care professions, a clear connection has been
developed in symptoms and signs of stress, reduction in job satisfaction, and occupational stress.
The need to address stress among athletic trainers has become increasingly vital to enable these
professionals to continue performing their roles effectively. Hans Selye was the one who coined
the word “stress”. According to Field et al. (2013), Selye defined “stress” as a non-specific
response of the body to any form of demand for change. Just as the way Selye defined it, stress is
the way in which the body responds to any type of demand. Stress can be caused by both bad and
good experiences. In the event of stress, the body reacts by releasing certain chemicals into the
blood, giving it more strength and energy — which can either be beneficial or detrimental
depending on individual situations.
Stress
Stress is majorly a physical response. Under stress, the body is feeling pressure (attack),
and consequently switches to flight or fight mode, thus producing various chemical and
hormones such as norepinephrine, cortisol, and adrenaline as defense mechanisms against the
attacking force (Field et al., 2013). As a result, various reactions occur i.e. the blood moves to
the muscles (to close down unnecessary functions of the body like digestion), the muscles
tighten, the senses become more focused, the blood pressure increases, and the heart beats faster.
Such physical changes increase stamina and strength, speed the person’s reaction time, and
improve focus. These are collectively termed as flight or fight stress responses that protect the
body.
The flight or fight responses to stress are responses when a person is encountered with a
physical danger. But many dangers facing people are psychological and cannot typically be fixed
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the moment they occur. Capel (1986) claims that anxiety is an emotional response portrayed by
an unpleasant condition of inner turmoil, frequently accompanied by nervous behavior. Anxiety
is normally a response to perceived or real threats. It is a feeling of worry, uneasiness, and fear.
When a person is anxious, responses are created to prepare the body to defend itself. Anxiety can
cause emotional and mental stress.
Over years, researchers and psychologists have identified about 450 to 650 coping
strategies, and there are still many coping strategies which are under research. Due to this, many
textbooks classify coping strategies in different ways. According to Weiten (2012), coping
strategies are classified into three classes: the appraisal-focused strategies (coping strategies that
involve changing mindset or thoughts (for example denial is common type of coping strategy
based on this category), problem-focused strategies (coping strategies which modify the person’s
behavior), and the emotion-focused strategies (strategies concern with altering a person’s
emotions to eliminate the stress).
Hendrix, Acevedo, and Hebert (2000) reveal that athletic trainers are highly competent,
multi-skilled care experts who specialize in offering health care to athletes. Athletic trainers
collaborate with physical therapists, chiropractors, physicians, and other medical professionals
that offer quality medical care to athletes, and other patients and clients. Roh and Pema (2000)
explain that athletic trainers are normally regarded as the first line of defense against issues
affecting athletes and other patients. They typically work under the directive of a physician as
defined by state licensure statutes. Many people normally confuse athletic trainers with personal
trainers. Athletic trainers are not personal trainers. Stilger, Etzel, and Lantz (2001) highlight the
difference in patients, skill set, education, and job responsibilities among personal trainers and
athletic trainers. Pitney (2010) considers that clinical courses and athletic training curriculum
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follow the medical framework, and athletic trainers are normally expected to graduate from
accredited masters or baccalaureate program.
Hendrix, Acevedo, and Hebert (2000) have examined types of stress that athletic trainers
experience in their professions and identified different sources of stresses such as conflicts with
fellow workers, low salary, poor working conditions, limited opportunity for career
development, job dissatisfaction, and extensive time commitment. In their study, Hendrix,
Acevedo, and Hebert (2000) identify that 40% of athletic trainers who work at the professional
level experience burnout and stress. Athletic trainers have reported experiencing stress as a result
of financial concerns, social-personal challenges, relationship issues, excessive time demands,
and family pressures.
It is apparent that athletic trainers lack coping strategies for stress as sings of burnout,