Passion and burnout in elite junior soccer players: The mediating role of self-determined motivation

Abstract

Objectives The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between forms of passion (harmonious and obsessive; Vallerand et al., 2003) and athlete burnout, and whether these relationships are mediated by self-determined motivation. The proposed model posited that because harmonious passion originates from an authentic self, it will be positively associated with self-determined regulation. Conversely, because obsessive passion originates from ego-invested structures within the self, it will be negatively associated with self-determined regulation. In turn, consistent with research examining the relationship between motivation regulation and athlete burnout, self-determined regulation was expected to be negatively associated with athlete burnout. Design Cross-sectional survey. Method This model was tested in 149 ( M age = 16.2, s = 2.0, range = 12–21) male junior athletes who attended soccer academies in the UK. Participants completed the Passion Scale ( Vallerand et al., 2003), the Sport Motivation Scale ( Pelletier et al., 1995), and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire ( Raedeke & Smith, 2001). Results Harmonious passion was negatively related to a latent athlete burnout factor, whereas obsessive passion was unrelated to a latent athlete burnout factor. The relationship between harmonious passion and burnout was fully mediated by self-determined regulation. Conclusions The results suggest that harmonious passion may offer some protection from burnout for athletes due to higher levels of self-determined motivation.