Associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load: an insight from 45-week prospective study in 189 elite athletes
IntroductionThe aim of this study was to investigate the associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load in elite male handball players at both the group and individual levels.MethodsIn this 45-week prospective cohort study, 189 elite male handball players weekly reported t...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1521290/full |
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| author | Kristina Drole Mojca Doupona Kathrin Steffen Kathrin Steffen Aleš Jerin Aleš Jerin Armin Paravlic Armin Paravlic |
| author_facet | Kristina Drole Mojca Doupona Kathrin Steffen Kathrin Steffen Aleš Jerin Aleš Jerin Armin Paravlic Armin Paravlic |
| author_sort | Kristina Drole |
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| description | IntroductionThe aim of this study was to investigate the associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load in elite male handball players at both the group and individual levels.MethodsIn this 45-week prospective cohort study, 189 elite male handball players weekly reported their perceived stress and load across training, competition, academic, and work domains. Blood samples were collected five times during the 2022/23 season to measure cortisol and the free testosterone to cortisol ratio (FTCR). We derived a “load” variable as the sum of training, competition, academic and work hours and calculated acute, chronic, and acute-to-chronic ratio variables for both load and stress. Associations between subjective and objective measures were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation.ResultsWeak to moderate positive associations were found between load and perceived stress (r = 0.19 to 0.46, p < 0.001), and between perceived stress and cortisol (r = 0.10, p = 0.023). Weak negative associations were found between perceived stress and FTCR (r = −0.18 to −0.20, p < 0.001) and between load and FTCR (r = −0.13, p = 0.003). A total of 86% of athletes had positive associations between stress and load (47% weak, 34% moderate, 5% high); 78% between stress and cortisol (27% weak, 22% moderate, 29% high); and 63% demonstrated negative associations between FTCR and load (18% weak, 32% moderate, 13% high).ConclusionThis study highlights the complexity between subjective and objective measures of stress and load in athletes. Understanding the link between these measures may help coaches and sports scientists streamline athlete monitoring. In cases where moderate to strong associations exist, subjective measures might serve as a reliable substitute for objective ones, making the monitoring process more time- and cost-efficient. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-b1596e073a2e4d949b1b4bf05ed855e02025-01-21T12:42:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-01-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.15212901521290Associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load: an insight from 45-week prospective study in 189 elite athletesKristina Drole0Mojca Doupona1Kathrin Steffen2Kathrin Steffen3Aleš Jerin4Aleš Jerin5Armin Paravlic6Armin Paravlic7Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaFaculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaOslo Sports Trauma Research Center, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, NorwayNorwegian National Unit for Sensory Loss and Mental Health, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaFaculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaFaculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, CzechiaIntroductionThe aim of this study was to investigate the associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load in elite male handball players at both the group and individual levels.MethodsIn this 45-week prospective cohort study, 189 elite male handball players weekly reported their perceived stress and load across training, competition, academic, and work domains. Blood samples were collected five times during the 2022/23 season to measure cortisol and the free testosterone to cortisol ratio (FTCR). We derived a “load” variable as the sum of training, competition, academic and work hours and calculated acute, chronic, and acute-to-chronic ratio variables for both load and stress. Associations between subjective and objective measures were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation.ResultsWeak to moderate positive associations were found between load and perceived stress (r = 0.19 to 0.46, p < 0.001), and between perceived stress and cortisol (r = 0.10, p = 0.023). Weak negative associations were found between perceived stress and FTCR (r = −0.18 to −0.20, p < 0.001) and between load and FTCR (r = −0.13, p = 0.003). A total of 86% of athletes had positive associations between stress and load (47% weak, 34% moderate, 5% high); 78% between stress and cortisol (27% weak, 22% moderate, 29% high); and 63% demonstrated negative associations between FTCR and load (18% weak, 32% moderate, 13% high).ConclusionThis study highlights the complexity between subjective and objective measures of stress and load in athletes. Understanding the link between these measures may help coaches and sports scientists streamline athlete monitoring. In cases where moderate to strong associations exist, subjective measures might serve as a reliable substitute for objective ones, making the monitoring process more time- and cost-efficient.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1521290/fullstresssubjective perceptiontraining loadacademic loadweekly athlete monitoringcortisol |
| spellingShingle | Kristina Drole Mojca Doupona Kathrin Steffen Kathrin Steffen Aleš Jerin Aleš Jerin Armin Paravlic Armin Paravlic Associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load: an insight from 45-week prospective study in 189 elite athletes Frontiers in Psychology stress subjective perception training load academic load weekly athlete monitoring cortisol |
| title | Associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load: an insight from 45-week prospective study in 189 elite athletes |
| title_full | Associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load: an insight from 45-week prospective study in 189 elite athletes |
| title_fullStr | Associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load: an insight from 45-week prospective study in 189 elite athletes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load: an insight from 45-week prospective study in 189 elite athletes |
| title_short | Associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load: an insight from 45-week prospective study in 189 elite athletes |
| title_sort | associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load an insight from 45 week prospective study in 189 elite athletes |
| topic | stress subjective perception training load academic load weekly athlete monitoring cortisol |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1521290/full |
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