Individual psychological determinants of stress resistance in rock climbers

Abstract

Athletes engaged in high-risk sports (skydiving, hang-gliding, paragliding, microlighting, and rock climbing)will confront significantly higher levels of stress. The purpose of our study is to define the individual psychological characteristics that determine stress resistance inherent in climbers - sportsmenfacing high risks. 60 climbers from the Kyiv branch of the Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing and the climbing section of the National Aviation University (26 women and 34 men, aged 18 to 30 years old, Mage= 24, SD = 1.57) are involved in this study. The researchers have used the following tests: Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire,Eysenck Personality Inventory, Diagnostics of Stress-Resistance Level (‘Forecast’), the "Personality Differential" technique. High and average levels of stress resistance were detected in 42 rock climbers (70%) while most adults involved in non-extreme sports had the average levels of stress resistance. It is shown that climbers perceive a large number of situations as threatening and provoking the anxiety (the selfpreservation instinct). High psychological variability and adaptability to external conditions are associated with low levels of neuroticism, high stability, and lability. Increasing the self-esteem of athletes boosts stress resistance. These research results allow us to conclude that the structure of stress resistance of athletes facing high risksis balanced and defined by one’s systemic volitional capabilities (strength and stability), self-control behavior (self-esteem).