Comparison of Perceived Stress on the Basis of Controlling Self-efficacy and Self-esteem among Athlete and Non-athlete Staff

Background and Aims: Present study aimed to compare the individual psychological antecedents of perceived stress (self-efficacy and self-esteem) among the athlete and non-athlete staff in an industrial company. Methods: Statistical society was all persons employed in the company including managers, supervisors, experts and workers; 192 athletes and 208 non-athletes were selected randomly. Data was collected using three questionnaires including perceived stress, overall self-efficacy, and self-esteem. Results: Although findings of ANOVA test showed that the condition of perceived stress in athlete employees was better than non-athletes, after controlling the impacts of self-efficacy and self-esteem, the results of ANCOVA test revealed that the difference of perceived stress between these two groups was not significant. Conclusion: The findings of this research suggest that the exercise can lead to gaining perceived strss to an optimized level (positive stress) mainly by improving valuable beliefs and promoting self-efficacy in individuals. The study extends the models of perceived stress literature and offers managerial, educational and practical suggestions for practitioners working about staff or employees exercise.