The emotional highs and lows of competitive sport, whether experienced as a competitor, spectator or coach may be the essential ingredient that gives sport its universal and compelling appeal. Emotion is clearly a pervasive force within competitive sport, and this is reflected in the burgeoning interest over recent decades in athletes’ emotions and strategies for coping with these emotions. The interplay between emotion and coping is a critical factor in determining, through its influence on key psychological functions, an athlete’s potential success in competitive sport. This fully revised and updated edition of the classic text on coping and emotion in sport goes further than any other book in examining the central role that these two factors play in sports performance.

The book explores theory and measurement, current research, and contemporary issues and special populations respectively. Each chapter closely integrates cutting-edge research themes with discussion of practical and applied issues, with case studies and reflections from practitioners working in elite sport woven throughout the book. With contributions from leading international scholars and consultant psychologists, this book is vital reading for all students and professionals working in sport psychology.