Coping Mechanisms utilized by

student athletes for handling

performance pressures
Study conducted by Omra Onwusorom

Student athletes - An Individual

that fulfils the role of both a
student and an athlete.
Student athletes must adhere to
set criteria i.e., meet an academic
requirement or attend a set
number of practices
Failure to adhere to set criteria
has consequences
How do student athletes cope
with these pressures?

Qualitative Methods and Design

Phenomenological approach:
Enabled me to delve deeper
into the perspective of the
participants
Semi - structured interviews
Theoretical sampling: 5
student athletes in CanWest
conference recruited initially,
more participants added till
point of saturation
Eight interview questions.
Interviews were 30-45
minutes
Analysis
Transcript processed by revAi
IN VIVO coding
Grounded Theory: Data was
collected, analyzed, and
coded until point of
saturation was reached

Main Themes
Balancing academic and
athletic commitments
Support systems
Self-care and wellness
Compartmentalizing life
aspects (Separating
academics from sports)
Team Dynamics
Negative coping mechanisms
Implications
Targeted mental health
Next Steps interventions to address
longitudinal studies specific pressures
Test effectiveness Increase the availability of
of interventions educational support systems
Parental Awareness and prevention of
involvement negative coping mechanisms
Implement policies Policy development and
implementation