Facilitating transition into a high-performance environment: The effect of a stressor-coping intervention program on elite youth rugby league players

Abstract

ObjectivesTo facilitate elite youth Rugby League (RL) player transition into a high-performance environment, study objectives were to (i) identify environmental transition demands appraised by players as stressors; (ii) to develop and implement an RL contextualised stressor-coping intervention program; and (iii) evaluate intervention effectiveness in dealing with stressors during transitions experienced by the Under 20's (U20) players. DesignA quasi-experimental design with field-based complimentary multiple-methods. MethodA combination of background literature, ‘stressor audit’ (N = 8) and club stakeholder perspective (N = 6) data were integrated to inform intervention content. U20's youth RL players (N = 41) at two professional RL clubs then participated in intervention (n = 21) or control (n = 20) groups. The intervention group participated in six group-based education sessions, with follow-up focus-groups social validation. Three psychometric questionnaires implemented at three time-points (pre, post & follow-up), examined changes in coping strategy use, coping efficacy and psychological well-being. ResultsThe stressor audit identified team selection, injury, balancing work/study, and new high-performance environment adjustment as key stressors. Statistical analyses identified significant intervention group (versus controls) interaction effects for enhanced frequency of task-based coping strategy use; disengagement-based coping strategy reductions; and increased efficacy for using problem and emotion-focused coping strategies. No effect for distraction orientated coping, social-support efficacy, or in terms of psychological well-being was apparent. Focus-group data corroborated quantitative findings. ConclusionsThe RL context stressor-coping intervention led to specific favourable coping responses, suggesting similar interventions may be beneficial for practitioners/organisations wanting to assist transition into high-performance environments.