The objectives of this study were to investigate: (1) elite Swedish football players use of coping strategies, (2) their goal orientations, and (3) the relationship between their goal orientation profiles and use of coping strategies. Participants were 83 male elite Swedish football players. The Perception of Success Questionnaire and COPE inventory were administered to meet the objectives. Results showed a significant interaction effect between athletes’ task and ego goal orientations and their use of planning. Athletes’ with a HT/LE profile (3.06 ± 0.36; M ± SD) used frequently more planning than athletes’ with a LT/LE profile (2.59 ± 0.51). Moreover, athletes’ high in task (2.71 ± 0.37) used more problem-focused strategies than athletes low in task (2.54 ± 0.33), and athletes’ low in ego (2.31 ± 0.24) used more emotion-focused strategies than athletes’ high in ego (2.17 ± 0.27). Results are discussed in relation to previous research of achievement motivation and athletes’ use of coping strategies. / Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka: (1) svenska elitfotbollsspelares användande av coping strategier, (2) deras målorienteringar, och (3) relationen mellan deras målorienteringsprofiler och användande av coping strategier. Urvalet bestod av 83 manliga svenska elitfotbollsspelare. Studiens syften undersöktes med hjälp av The Perception of Success Questionnaire och COPE inventory. Resultaten visade en signifikant interaktionseffekt mellan idrottarnas task och ego orienteringar och användande av planering. Idrottare med en HT/LE profil (3.06 ± 0.36; M ± SD) använde sig av mer planering än idrottare med en LT/LE profil (2.59 ± 0.51). Vidare använde idrottare med en hög task-orientering (2.71 ± 0.37) sig av mer problem-fokuserade strategier än idrottare med en låg task-orientering (2.54 ± 0.33) och idrottare med en låg ego-orientering (2.31 ± 0.24) använde mer emotions-fokuserade strategier än idrottare med en hög ego-orientering (2.17 ± 0.27). Resultaten har diskuterats i relation till tidigare forskning inom prestationsmotivation och idrottares coping strategier.

To further investigate athletes’ goal orientations in relation to their use of psychological skills, the present study examined the following objectives: 1) the goal orientations of young Swedish soccer players, (2) their use of psychological skills in both practice and competition and (3) the relationship between their goal orientations and use of psychological skills. Participants were 171 young soccer players from five Swedish high schools. The Perceptions of Success Questionnaire and the Test of Performance Strategies were administered to meet the objectives. Results showed no significant difference between athletes’ task (3.40 ± 1.32; M ± SD) and ego (3.32 ± 1.18) goal orientations. Results further revealed that athletes used more psychological skills in association with competition (3.21 ± .67) than in practice (2.74 ± .63). Moreover, results showed that athletes low in ego orientation used more psychological skills (3.83 ± .67) in practice than athletes high in ego (2.68 ± .60). A recommendation for coaches is to emphasize the importance of using PST in relation to practice in order to maximize athletes’ performances. Results have been discussed in relation to previous research of achievement motivation and athletes’ use of psychological skills.