The double-edged sword of self-tracking: investigating factors of technostress in performance-oriented cycling and triathlon

This study is dedicated to the investigation of technostress caused by self-tracking in performance-oriented amateur sports and thus addresses a significant research gap in the understanding of stress factors operating in this specific context. Although technostress in occupational and private settings has been extensively researched, there is a lack of knowledge about the effects and specifics of technostress caused by the use of self-tracking technologies such as wearables and performance monitoring apps in sports. A total of 16 stress factors were identified, eight of which - information overload, distraction, unavailability, loss of control, lack of sense of achievement, unreliability, complexity and self-monitoring - are already known from the professional context and were transferred to the sports context. In addition, eight new stress factors specific to performance-oriented amateur sport were identified: Performance enhancement imperative, lack of context, digital visibility, feedback incorporation, measurement data fixation, comparison pressure, permanent monitoring and perception discrepancy. The study is based on a qualitative research approach with guided interviews conducted with performance-oriented amateur triathletes. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic and contextual nature of technostress in sport and provide a basis for the development of targeted intervention strategies aimed to reducing technostress, such as adaptive training programs or personalized feedback systems. The results thus provide a valuable starting point for future research, particularly for the investigation of coping strategies in relation to the identified stress factors. In addition to identifying eight new sport-specific technostress factors, this study clearly delineates how traditional work-related technostress factors are applicable to amateur sports. This contextual adaptation helps in understanding the unique pressures faced by amateur athletes and distinguishes this study within the field.