Relationships between internet addiction and coping strategy use in junior athletes

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.