Self-Coping Strategies Among Jordanian Athletes During Ramadan Fasting: A Questionnaire Proposal

Abstract

: This study aims to categorize the adaptation strategies of Muslim athletes who fast during Ramadan and proposes a self-coping strategy questionnaire as a complementary assessment tool. A total of 109 Jordanian Muslim athletes (mean age 20.0 ± 8.5 years) were surveyed by completing a self-coping questionnaire designed to classify an individual athlete’s level of adaptation. This study was conducted during the month of Ramadan 2019 and developed based on the training, nutritional, psychological, self-control, and recovery dimensions. Seventy percent of athletes found that they developed good or very good coping mechanisms. Coping strategies vary from one dimension to another, but in general, athletes often had a positive perceived coping. Athletes expressed that they are shifting the training hours with a preference for quality training rather than quantity and associated with a longer rest time. In addition, they were in favor of food hygiene associated with a strategy of sharing meals and providing water. The majority (59%) of the athletes said they were psychologically prepared for the potential effects of fasting. This research shows that athletes develop self-adjusting strategies to counter the effects of fasting. The questionnaire on the self-coping strategies provides important and precise information on the level of coping achieved by the athletes.