Date of Award

Summer 8-23-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

First Advisor

Walter Buboltz

Abstract

College student-athletes (CS-As) face many stressors, such as adjusting to a university setting, academic pressures, and the demands of an elite athlete (e.g., battling at a high level during training and competition and managing mental struggles in their sport) (Barbayannis et al., 2022; Barnard, 2016). Some individuals are exposed to events that may be classified as traumatic, such as physical and sexual assault, natural disasters, and other related forms of human suffering (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Around 50%-80% of college students have been exposed to at least one traumatic event throughout their lifetime (Frazier et al., 2009; Read et al., 2011). Coping, or one’s attempt to deal with stress and/or trauma, has the potential to be adaptive (e.g., using problem-solving techniques and emotional support) or maladaptive (e.g., engaging in substance use and blaming oneself for a problem) (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Hardiness is a dispositional personality trait that can help individuals face stressors in an adaptive manner and buffer the detrimental effects that trauma can have on one’s physical health, performance, and overall well-being (Kobasa, 1979; Maddi, 1987). Well-being, as studied by Keyes (2002), encapsulates the emotional, social, and psychological components that help a person to function in an optimal manner. Shortway and Hammond (2022) have noted that there is a scarcity of research regarding psychological trauma and its effects on collegiate athletes. The present study examined the relationship between hardiness and well-being, with adaptive and maladaptive coping serving as moderators in a sample of 78 trauma-exposed CS-As. Results of this study found that there was a significant, strong positive relationship between hardiness and overall well-being in this population. However, neither adaptive nor maladaptive coping significantly moderated this relationship. The implications, limitations, and directions for future research are reviewed for these results.

Download

Share

COinS