The mediating role of coping strategies on the relationship between achievement motivation and affect in sport

This study examined in a sport context theoretical arguments advanced by Fo lkman (1984) and Lazarus (1991, 1993) regarding the relationships between m otivational factors. different types of coping, affective outcomes, and sit uational perceptions of control. Three hundred and fifty-six athletes from British universities with an established sport record were requested to rec all an important recent competition when they had a sport-related stressful experience. They then indicated the extent to which they relied on a numbe r of coping strategies to deal with the situation, the emotional outcomes a nd the situational perceptions of control that the different coping strateg ies produced. Exploratory Factor analysis extracted six factors: suppressio n of competing activities, effort, venting of emotions, distancing, seeking of social support and behavioural disengagement. In a further analysis, co ping theories were linked with social-cognitive theories of motivation, wit h particular reference made to achievement goals (Nicholls, 1989) and motiv ational climates (Ames, 1992). Task orientation and mastery climate were fo und to relate with problem-focused coping whereas ego orientation and perfo rmance climate were linked with avoidance and emotion-focused coping. Furth ermore, the complex links between motivation. coping, affect, and control w ere examined through structural equation modelling analysis.