Stress-Appraisal Profiles During High-Intensity Mini-Games: Athletes’ Lived Experiences

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how athletes cognitively and emotionally appraise stress during high-intensity mini-games, with a focus on their lived experiences of challenge and threat profiles. A qualitative design was adopted, drawing on a phenomenological approach to capture athletes’ subjective experiences. Twenty-five athletes (14 males, 11 females) from diverse sporting backgrounds in South Africa participated, all with at least three years of competitive experience. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was reached. Each interview lasted 45–70 minutes, was audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software. Themes were developed through iterative coding, review, and consensus discussions to ensure credibility and rigor. Four overarching themes emerged. First, cognitive appraisal of stress reflected athletes’ interpretations of demands, resources, and situational awareness, with fluctuations between challenge and threat orientations. Second, emotional and physiological responses revealed both energizing states such as excitement and maladaptive states such as anxiety, with athletes also reporting physiological markers like accelerated heart rate or fatigue. Third, social and contextual influences underscored the roles of teammates, coaches, spectators, and cultural identity in shaping stress appraisals. Finally, coping and adaptation strategies included problem-focused approaches (e.g., tactical adjustments), emotion-focused strategies (e.g., self-talk, humor), and long-term resilience-building, with many athletes reframing stress as an opportunity for growth. Collectively, these findings confirm that stress appraisal in mini-games is a dynamic, socially embedded, and meaning-laden process. The study extends the challenge–threat framework by demonstrating how athletes’ lived experiences integrate physiological, emotional, social, and cultural dimensions of stress appraisal. Insights highlight the need for interventions that not only enhance physiological conditioning but also address appraisal processes, resilience, and context-sensitive coping strategies.