Coping with success and failure: A qualitative study on athletes and coaches in track and field. 2003 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor)Student thesis

Abstract [en]

The aim of this study is to investigate how athletes and coaches perceive and experience success and failure. Objectives of the study consist of examining how athletes and coaches define, react and cope with success and failure, how they perceive consequences and how coaches help athletes to cope with success and failure. Ten (n=10) individual semi structured interviews was carried out with seven (n=7) elite athletes and three (n=3) coaches in track and field. An interview guide based on the objectives of the study was developed. 385 raw data units were identified. These were categorised according to the objectives. The analysis showed that athletes and coaches defined success as achieving goals and a typical reaction to success was to feel happy. A typical consequence that follows success was increased self confidence and athletes cope with this by setting new goals. The analysis of coaches showed that coaches create an understanding for the athletes, what they want and what they need. Failure was most frequently defined as injury. The most common reaction to failure was increased negative thinking and athletes coped with that by “clenching the fist”. Coaches help athletes to cope with failure by adapting the training. Development was considered to be a significant consequence of failure.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages

2003.

Keywords [en]

Coach support, consequences, coping, failure, perceptions, reactions, success.

Identifiers

URN: urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-11349Local ID: U10369OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hh-11349DiVA, id: diva2:366480

Uppsok

Social and Behavioural Science, Law

Note

Denna uppsats kan beställas från arkivet / This paper can be ordered from the archive. Kontakta / Contact: arkivet@hh.seAvailable from: 2010-11-09 Created: 2010-11-09Bibliographically approved

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School of Social and Health Sciences (HOS)

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