PSYCHOSOCIAL ANTECEDENTS OF SPORT INJURY - REVIEW AND CRITIQUE OF THESTRESS AND INJURY MODEL

To counter the narrow scope and atheoretical nature of early research, Andersen and Williams (1988) developed a multi-component theoretical model of stress and injury. The model proposes that athletes with a hi story of many stressors, personality characteristics that exacerbate t he stress response, and few coping resources will, when placed in a st ressful situation, be more likely to appraise the situation as stressf ul and to exhibit greater physiological activation and attentional dis ruptions. The severity of the resulting stress response is the mechani sm proposed to cause the injury risk. The model also proposes interven tions for reducing injury risk. For the last decade, this stress-injur y model has helped to provide the impetus and theoretical base for muc h of the psychosocial injury research. The present article examines re search support for the different components of the model. The article concludes with suggestions for potential changes to the model and futu re research needs.