A Practical Study of Stress Management for High School Athletes: Implementation and Evaluation of an Intervention Program Based on the “Stress-Adjustment Model in Extracurricular Sports Activities”

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate a Stress Management Program （SMP） based on the "Stress-Adjustment Model in extracurricular sports activities". We executed a four-week SMP with 14 first-year high school athletes （11 male, 3 female） and then evaluated the effects of that program, including its influence on the psychological stress process in high school athletes, its effectiveness in helping high school athletes adapt to extracur-ricular sports activities, and whether it appropriately facilitated the cycle of "experience stress → conquer the issue → grow → find meaning in the experience". Results from a paper-based questionnaire indicated that the SMP showed a positive shift in terms of stress management from baseline to post-intervention. The four variables in which this positive shift was observed were "stressors", "cognitive appraisal", "coping", and "stress response". Athletes also demonstrated improved feelings of adjustment toward extracurricular sports activities. Furthermore, athletes' responses on a worksheet suggested that the program facilitated the cycle of "expe-rience stress → conquer the issue → grow → find meaning in the experience." These results suggest the effectiveness of the SMP as an intervention program for promoting stress management among athletes. Our report concludes with a discussion regarding feasibility of the SMP for real-world use and recommendations for future studies to further the field of life skills research.