Emotional Reactions and Coping Strategies of an Intercollegiate Athletic Team to a Near-Crash Team Travel Accident: 15-Month Longitudinal Case Study

Emotional Reactions and Coping Strategies of an Intercollegiate Athletic Team to a Near-Crash Team Travel Accident: 15-Month Longitudinal Case Study

Objective: Travel by bus is common for athletic teams, and accidents are becoming increasingly more frequent. Most survivors of bus accidents do not require clinical treatment; however, virtually all studies of accident survivors focus only on those under clinical treatment. The current study sought to characterize the affective changes that took place immediately after a travel accident as well as the trajectory of coping tendencies of the team members. Methods: In a 15-month longitudinal study, we assessed on seven occasions the emotional reactions of members of an intercollegiate volleyball team to a near-crash bus accident as well as the team members’ self-reported coping strategies. Results: Negative affect declined over time, with a larger drop at times more proximal to the incident; positive affect remained consistent throughout the 15 month period. A variety of coping strategies were used. Acceptance was endorsed throughout the 15 months. Other strategies were highly endorsed the first few months but dropped off as negative affect declined. Conclusions: Athletic team travel accidents are occurring with increased frequency. The team examined in the current study displayed a decline in negative emotion and changes in their coping preferences over time. Teams involved in travel accidents may find these results informative as to expected time frames for emotional reactions and the nature of effective coping.