RESUMO Elevados níveis de estresse podem comprometer o desempenho esportivo de velejadores à medida que interferem em fatores como atenção, concentração e tomada de decisão. O objetivo da pesquisa foi investigar o estresse psicológico de velejadores em competição. Participaram do estudo 31 velejadores de alto nível, por meio de voluntariado. Estes atletas responderam a Escala de Estresse Percebido (Cohen & Williamson, 1988 ) e questões específicas acerca do autocontrole do estresse, fontes e

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... ratégias de controle do estresse. Utilizou-se de estatística descritiva e inferencial (teste t e correlação de Pearson). Os velejadores apresentaram níveis baixos a moderados (M = 20.00; DP = 6.83) de estresse, oriundos de fontes intrínsecas ao contexto competitivo (problemas com o barco, desorganização da equipe) e extrínsecas (estudo, conciliar o trabalho com a vela, problemas familiares e financeiros). Os atletas referem possuir bom controle do estresse utilizando estratégias cognitivas ABSTRACT The purpose of this work was to investigate the psychological stress present in elite sailors in a competition. Based on a descriptive field research, 31 elite sailors volunteered to participate. They answered the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen & Williamson, 1988 ) and also specific questions on selfcontrol, sources and strategies of coping. Data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential (Student t test and Pearson's correlation) statistics. These athletes revealed low and moderate scores (M = 20.00, DP = 6.83) of stress originated from both intrinsic (ship troubles, team disorders) and extrinsic (study, working and training, family and financial problems) sources. The group reported good stress control during competition through the use of cognitive (avoidance) and somatic (listening music, resting/sleeping, talk to friends) strategies. It is important that sailors are able to control and cope with high levels of psychological stress and to understand how to proceed when under unstable and unexpected situations that arise during competition.