🔑 Key Definitions
Coping: Using personal skills to reduce stress and anxiety
Problem-Focused Coping: Addressing the source/cause of stress
Emotion-Focused Coping: Controlling emotional feelings
Problem-Focused Coping: Addressing the source/cause of stress
Emotion-Focused Coping: Controlling emotional feelings
🔄 Two Main Types of Coping
1. Problem-Focused Coping
- Fixes the actual cause of stress
- Direct action to solve the problem
- Example: Practicing a weak skill
2. Emotion-Focused Coping
- Manages feelings about the stress
- Controls emotional response
- Example: Relaxation to reduce anxiety
🧠 Key Terms
- Approach Strategies: Facing problems directly
- Avoidance Strategies: Distancing from problems
- Situational: Coping changes based on situation (not fixed personality trait)
🏆 Elite Athlete Coping Strategies
- Thought control - Managing negative thoughts
- Attention focus - Concentrating on relevant cues
- Emotional control - Regulating feelings
- Behavioral strategies - Taking action to manage stress
💡 Exam Tips
- Problem-focused = fix the cause, Emotion-focused = fix the feeling
- Coping is situational, NOT a personality trait
- Elite athletes use multiple strategies (thought, attention, emotion, behavior)
- Both approach and avoidance can be effective depending on situation