Perceived stress, psychological burnout and paths to turnover intentions among sport officials

Abstract

Abstract Despite high turnover rates and a shortage of referees in many sports there have been few studies to examine the desocialization process. This study investigated the role of burnout as a mediating affective response between perceived stress and dropout intentions among soccer officials over the course of a soccer season. The mailed Ontario Soccer Officials' Survey included 30 stressor items, a I6 item version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and 5 items to assess turnover intentions. Data from the 529 officials (42%) who responded at TI (3 months into the season) and 4 months later (T2) were reported. From a cross-sectional path analysis, fear of failure, role-culturc conflict and interpersonal conflict were shown to have only indirect effects, through burnout, on turnover intentions. Age was negatively related to burnout. A longitudinal path analysis suggested that total perceived stress and burnout had only indirect effects on turnover intentions. Stress had a direct negative effect on burnout...