RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INTERNET ADDICTION AND COPING STRATEGY USE IN JUNIOR ATHLETES.
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Date
2025
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Abstract
This study empirically examined and theoretically supported the factors associated with Internet addiction in
relation to coping strategy use among junior athletes. Methods. The sample comprised junior male and female
athletes participating in individual and team sports across age groups U-15, U-17, U-19, and U-21, aged 14–20
years (M = 18.23; Me = 18.00; SD = ± 2.98). Participants attended sports schools of the Olympic Reserve for
children and youth in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kherson (the institution had been relocated). They were
affiliated with professional football, mini-football, and handball academies. The sample’s gender distribution
was as follows: male athletes (n = 54; 43.20%) and female athletes (n = 71; 56.80%). Valid, reliable, and
representative methodologies, which relevantly reflected and captured the measurements of the main research
variables, were applied. Results. It was established that the examined junior athletes with manifestations of
Internet addiction of a moderate level and mild symptoms of depressivity showed emphasis on choosing
behavioral strategies related to intense reaction to negative experiences in stressful situations. It was found that
severe symptoms of depressivity and moderate manifestations of Internet addiction in the examined junior
athletes significantly prevent them from implementing the cognitive component of coping behavior in stressful
circumstances within the framework of coping strategies focused on assessing the situation and opportunities for
its constructive transformation. It was established that moderate manifestations of Internet addiction and mild
symptoms of depressivity in the examined junior athletes do not significantly impair the average capacity for
reflective assessment of their subjective resources for coping with stress. It was noted that this result is
associated with a high level of junior athletes’ self-control. Discussion and conclusions. It was substantiated
that Internet addiction correlates in junior athletes’ coping strategies are considered coping behavior patterns that
junior athletes use in stressful situations to manage their emotions and solve learning, training, competitive, and
rehabilitative problems. It was recommended that the results of the research into Internet addiction correlates in
the coping strategies of junior athletes with a propensity for Internet addiction and depressivity symptoms should
be implemented in the learning and training process at sports schools of the Olympic Reserve for children and
youth.
Description
Popovych, I., Plokhikh, V., Abdullayev, S., Panok, V., Hrynchuk, O., Borysiuk, O., & Yesmakhanova, A. (2025). Relationships between internet addiction and coping strategy use in junior athletes. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 25(10), 2031–2038. DOI: 10.7752/jpes.2025.10226.
Keywords
depressivity, defense mechanisms, mental health, mental state, escape-avoidance, confrontation, stress