Game-related acutely stressful events and coping styles of registered interscholastic sport officials /

Abstract

The purposes of this study were: (1) to identify the sources of acute game-related stress experienced by registered interscholastic baseball, basketball, and football officials from the United States, (2) to identify coping strategies utilized by registered interscholastic baseball, basketball and football officials from the United States, and (3) to compare coping styles (approach and avoidance) among registered interscholastic baseball, basketball, and football officials when experiencing acute game-related stress.

The Sport Official Survey, (S.O.S.) is a sport officiating version of a multi-sport web-based survey in which participants were presented with standard, realistic, game-related scenarios of events that occur during athletic competitions. The S.O.S. was utilized to analyze responses from registered interscholastic baseball, basketball, and football officials (N = 1365) concerning sources of acute game-related stress and perceived stress intensity. Of the participants, baseball (n = 347), basketball (n = 618), and football (n = 400) officials were represented in the study.

Of the participants with valid data, the acute stressor "I made an incorrect call" (M = 3.31, SD = 1.13) was the highest rated source of acute game-related stress in regards to intensity as perceived by the registered interscholastic baseball, basketball, and football officials. The stressors "I was out of position" (M = 2.77, SD = 1.08) and "I had a problem with my officiating partner" (M = 2.73, SD = 1.17) were the next stress sources rated highly by participants, followed closely by "I received verbal abuse from coaches" ( M = 2.70, SD = 1.00). In this scale, the higher the score, the higher the amount of perceived stress intensity. Thus, "I made an incorrect call" was viewed as the item describing the most stressful situation. "I was sexually harassed" had the lowest mean source of stress score (M = 1.38, SD = .87) followed by "I received verbal abuse from players" (M = 1.78, SD = .92).

In regard to type of sport officiated, mean ratings intensity levels of sources of acute game-related stress were computed and analyzed. For baseball umpires, (n = 347) the most intense source of acute game-related stress was "I made an incorrect call" (M = 3.27, SD = 1.19) followed by "I was out of position" ( M = 2.84, SD = 1.17) and "I received verbal abuse from coaches" (M = 2.60, SD = .99).

Concerning basketball referees, results indicated "I made an incorrect call" (M = 3.25, SD =1.12) was the most intense acute game-stressor. The next most intense game-related stressors according to the basketball officials was "I had a problem with my officiating partner(s)" (M = 2.90, SD = 1.16) followed by "I was out of position" (M = 2.61, SD = 1.04).

For football officials, the highest rated source of acute game-related stress was "I made an incorrect call" (M = 3.44, SD = 1.08). "I was out of position" (M = 2.95, SD = 1.02) and "I received verbal abuse from coaches" (M = 2.72, SD = 1.01) were the next most highly rated stress sources experienced by the officials.

The identification of coping styles of sport officials was a primary focus of this study. The highest AV coping means were for the stressors "I made an incorrect Call," and "I made a controversial call," (M = 3.22, and SDs = .48 and .50 respectively). For the highest AP means, (with standard deviations in parentheses), "I received verbal abuse from Coaches" was 2.84, (.47) and "I had a problem with my partners(s)" was 2.67, (.61). The chi-square test showed a significance relationship between type of sport and coping style at the .05 alpha level, (p = .04). These findings suggest that coping style depends on type of sport officiated. A significant relationship exists between type of sport officiated and coping style.

The ongoing utilization of this instrument may continue to provide sport psychology, sport management, and human performance insight when working with sport officials, particularly those in the area of interscholastic athletics. This insight may open doors for improved coping in stressful situations by sport officials who impact such a large number of athletic contests.