Resilience and Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy, resilience, and sport and physical activity often work together to enhance an individual's mental and physical health. In many ways, sport and other high-performance environments offer a great environment for one to practice and enhance their self-efficacy and resilience. In terms of enhancing self-efficacy, individuals in these high-performance environments are provided opportunities to build their confidence as it relates to performing a sporting task successfully. If the individual develops mastery over a difficult task and then is able to succeed, their confidence (read: self-efficacy) increases. In terms of developing resiliency, this can happen due to the challenges a high-performance environment provides for an individual. When faced with setbacks, they are given opportunities to negotiate ways to overcome those setbacks to find success, which promotes resiliency. The relationship between self-efficacy, resilience, and sport and physical activity often works the other way as well. Self-efficacy has been known to promote exercise (or sport) adherence and adoption because if an individual feels they have the ability to successfully and confidently engage in a sporting task, they are more likely to stick with that sport in the long term (Wiedenman et al., 2023).
In order to fully understand how self-efficacy and resilience are related in this high-performance space, we must gain an understanding of the operational definitions that are applicable to sport and physical activity. To start, self-efficacy is the “perception of one’s ability to perform a task successfully” (Weinberg & Gould, 2023, p. 358). Psychologist Albert Bandura (1977) developed a useful conceptual model of self-efficacy that can be applied to a variety of disciplines, with a few underlying premises that are important for sport specifically. These include: (a) athletes must have the necessary skills, motivation, and self-efficacy to succeed, and (b) self-efficacy impacts an athlete’s level of effort and persistence, so if an athlete believes in themselves, they are more likely to succeed (Weinberg & Gould, 2023). Importantly, feelings of self-efficacy are derived from various sources, including performance accomplishments, modeling, verbal encouragement or positive self-talk, using imagery, ideal physiological response, and positive emotional states. The athlete is not only pulling together the physical components of sport success, but there is significant attention given to building self-efficacy This confidence is built in both developing the technical skills necessary for success as well as acquiring “evidence” that indicates that success will happen and/or has happened in the past.
When considering how resiliency comes into play, we know that athletes who demonstrate higher levels of self-efficacy are more likely to cope with negative emotions (Weinberg & Gould, 2023), because self-efficacy is a protective factor (Fergus & Zimmerman, 2005; White & Bennie, 2015). A basic definition of resiliency is the “capacity of individuals to adapt and thrive despite experiencing adversity” (Beltman, Mansfield, & Price, 2011, p. 186). Researchers have found that individuals who possess a sense of strong and enduring self-efficacy have enhanced resilience and persistence when faced with challenges (Beltman, et al., 2011). As Beltman and colleagues (2011) argued, “Self-efficacy (is) an interactive process and a key component of resilience. While high self-efficacy (is) important for (individual) resilience, self-efficacy could be enhanced as (individuals) encountered and overcame challenges” ( p. 190).
In a study that explored the resilient qualities that enable high achievers, such as athletes, to thrive in pressured environments, it was found that high achievers take personal responsibility for their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors (Sarkar & Fletcher, 2014). When this personal responsibility was reflected in individuals with positive and proactive personalities, they were able to identify opportunities and facilitate a strong drive toward action in the face of challenges (Sarkar & Fletcher, 2014). In other words, individuals who have high self-efficacy are able to demonstrate resilience in the face of difficulties, which can lead to higher levels of functioning (i.e., thriving). When thinking about the application of these constructs in the context of a sport or high-performing organizations, it is paramount for leaders to instill and foster the various components of self-efficacy. This is particularly important because these environments are typically high-pressure environments. A thriving organization is not devoid of challenges, but rather it creates an environment that is able to withstand challenges by developing people with high self-efficacy, which is not only better for business but also better for people.
References
Beltman, S., Mansfield, C., & Price, A. (2011). Thriving not just surviving: A review of research on teacher resilience. Educational Research Review, 6, 185-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2011.09.001
Fergus, S., & Zimmerman, M. A. (2005). Adolescent resilience: A framework for understanding healthy development in the face of risk. Annual Review of Public Health, 26, 399-419. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144357
Sarkar, M., & Fletcher, D. (2014). Ordinary magic, extraordinary performance: Psychological resilience and thriving in high achievers. Sport, Exercise, and Performance, 3(1), 1-36. https://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000003.supp
Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2024). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology (8th ed.). Human Kinetics.
White, R. L., & Bennie, A. (2015). Resilience in youth sport: A qualitative investigation of gymnastics coach and athlete perceptions. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 10(2-3), 379-393. https://doi.org/10.1260/1747-9541.10.2-3.379
Wiedenman, E. M., Kruse-Diehr, A. J., Bice, M., R., McDaniel, J., Wallace, J. P., & Partridge, J. A. (2023). The role of sport participation on exercise self-efficacy, psychological need satisfaction, and resilience among college freshmen. Journal of American College Health, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2023.2177817
