Basic psychological need profiles among adolescent athletes in intensive training settings: Relationships with sport burnout and engagement.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine (a) whether subgroups of athletes with different levels of basic psychological need (BPN) satisfaction and frustration emerged; (b) if BPN profile differences existed on sex, years of experience, and number of hours of training; (c) the issue of changes of profiles overtime; and (d) whether athletes belonging to distinct BPN profiles differed on sport burnout and engagement. A sample of 367 adolescent athletes in intensive training centers participated in this study. Results of latent profile transition analyses revealed three profiles at each time points: Fulfilled, autonomy and competence moderately frustrated, and competence and relatedness highly frustrated profiles. Male athletes and athletes with more years of experience were more likely to belong to the autonomy and competence moderately frustrated profile in comparison to the other BPN profiles. Athletes who trained more hours a week were more likely to belong to the fulfilled profile in comparison to the autonomy and competence moderately frustrated profile. Individuals in fulfilled and autonomy and competence moderately frustrated profiles were especially likely to stay in their respective profile at Times 2 and 3, whereas individuals in competence and relatedness highly frustrated profile were less stable in their profile membership. Individuals from the fulfilled profiles reported lower scores of burnout and higher scores of engagement than the athletes from the two other BPN profiles. The opposite pattern of results was observed for the competence and relatedness highly frustrated profile. Overall, a BPN profile approach was found useful in understanding within-person combinations of BPN.