Adolescent Athletes: Psychosocial Challenges
Adolescent Athletes: Psychosocial Challenges
Sport may serve as a context for youth development; however, there are demands and pressures inherent in competitive contexts which may be stressful and potentially overwhelming for adolescent athletes. Athletes' coping in sport contexts may be valuable for learning to deal with stressors, but in some extreme cases athletes may engage in maladaptive behaviours such as disordered eating, substance abuse, and steroid use to deal with the demands of sport. Progress is being made in understanding how athletes perceive psychosocial challenges in sport and how interventions can equip young athletes with the necessary coping skills to manage their demands in an adaptive manner.
Conclusion
Sport may serve as a context for youth development; however, there are demands and pressures inherent in competitive contexts which may be stressful and potentially overwhelming for adolescent athletes. Athletes' coping in sport contexts may be valuable for learning to deal with stressors, but in some extreme cases athletes may engage in maladaptive behaviours such as disordered eating, substance abuse, and steroid use to deal with the demands of sport. Progress is being made in understanding how athletes perceive psychosocial challenges in sport and how interventions can equip young athletes with the necessary coping skills to manage their demands in an adaptive manner.
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