Stress levels among winter swimmers, firefighters, martial arts athletes in Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain

Abstract

Background & Study Aims: Pro-health behaviours may have the form of habits and goal-oriented activities. The first are mainly shaped by social influence and have the form of long-term patterns of automatized behaviours (e.g., bodily hygiene, eating habits). On the other hand, goal-oriented activities are shaped during the course of individual development and the self-creation of one’s lifestyle. The aim of the current study was knowledge about stress levels between winter swimmers and martial arts athletes (pro-health behaviours) on the one hand, firefighters and non-athletes having a sedentary behaviour (anti-health behaviours) on the other. Material & Methods: The study was carried out in Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. A total of 542 individuals participated, including 72 winter swimmers, 358 martial arts athletes, 49 professional firefighters, and 63 non-athletes. The Perception of Stress Questionnaire by M. Plopa and R. Makarowski (2010) was used to measure emotional tension, external stress, and intrapsychic stress. Results: From among the 11 samples, the highest total stress levels and external stress levels were reported by firefighters. The lowest levels of external and intrapsychic stress were reported by winter swimmers, while the lowest levels of emotional tension were reported by Lithuanian martial arts athletes. The lowest total stress levels were reported by winter swimmers and Lithuanian martial arts athletes. Male martial arts athletes from Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia reported higher stress levels than female athletes. Conclusions: Physical fitness alone, possessed by professional firefighters, is an insufficient buffer against stress, in contrast to winter swimmers. Pro-health behaviours, that is, training in martial arts and winter swimming, lowers external stress, intrapsychic stress, and emotional tension. If conditions permit it, winter swimming together with training in martial arts may lower stress.