Athlete Burnout Research Articles

BURNOUT IN ELITE TENNIS PLAYERS OF DIFFERENT JUNIOR CATEGORIES

ABSTRACT Introduction: Burnout syndrome manifests in athletes in the form of three main symptoms/characteristics: emotional and physical exhaustion, sport devaluation, and reduced sense of accomplishment. Faced with the need to achieve optimum performance, young tennis players are exposed to several stressors than can lead to burnout, yet few reports on burnout in tennis have been researched. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze burnout in elite tennis players in different junior categories (CAT14, CAT16, CAT18). Methods: A total of 130 athletes, including 102 men (x=15.14±1.3) and 28 women (x=15.04±1.13), were selected for this cross-sectional study. Burnout was measured using a version of the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ). Results: CAT18 tennis players had higher rates of overall burnout and sport devaluation compared with CAT16 and CAT14 players. CAT14 and CAT16 players had higher scores for “reduced sense of accomplishment,” in association with sport devaluation. Conclusion: Differences found in CAT18 players may reflect the demands of transition from the junior to the professional circuit. Reduced sense of accomplishment should be monitored in athletes, to prevent burnout and cessation of sports activities. Level of Evidence III; retrospective comparative.

Psychological Resilience’s Moderation of the Relationship Between the Frequency of Organizational Stressors and Burnout in Athletes and Coaches

This paper presents 2 studies examining the extent to which the frequency of encountered organizational stressors relates to burnout and whether qualities of psychological resilience moderate any such relationship. The studies were conducted with independent samples of athletes and coaches using a questionnaire design. In Study 1, 372 athletes completed measures of organizational stressors (Organizational Stressor Indicator for Sports Performers [OSI-SP]), resilience (Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale-10 [CD-RISC-10]), and burnout (Athlete Burnout Questionnaire). In Study 2, 91 coaches completed measures of organizational stressors (OSI-SP), resilience (CD-RISC-10), and burnout (Coach Burnout Questionnaire). Data were analyzed in a moderated regression model using Hayes’s PROCESS macro for SPSS and supported the hypotheses that the frequency of organizational stressors was directly related to burnout in both athletes and coaches and that psychological resilience moderated this relationship. These results highlight the influential role of organizational dynamics for athlete and coach well-being and indicate that psychological resilience is a salient individual difference variable that buffers against potential negative outcomes.

Psychological and situational determinants of burnout in adolescent athletes

Burnout in sport settings is commonly described as a multidimensional syndrome explained through a variety of antecedents. The present study aims to investigate the predictive relationship of psychological (motives, satisfaction, fatigue, anxiety, self-esteem) and situational (hours of training per week and perceived volume of training) determinants with athlete burnout symptoms (reduced sense of accomplishment, emotional/physical exhaustion, and sport devaluation). Participants were 142 Greek talented competitive athletes, aged 14–18 years, from various individual and team sports. Canonical correlation (CC) analysis indicated that the lack of satisfaction with performance, amotivation, and dysfunctional personality traits undermines athlete perceptions of accomplishment, while those less fatigued, less overloaded, and with a variety of motives protect themselves from feelings of emotional and physical exhaustion. Devaluation factor showed low reliability (.57) and thus was not included within CC analysis. Additionally, multivariate analysis of variance showed that “high burnout” athletes (n = 7) had elevated levels of amotivation, fatigue, and trait anxiety, but lower satisfaction with performance, less self-determined motivation, and lower self-esteem compared to “low burnout” athletes (n = 26). The present results highlight the need to take into consideration a combination of factors to understand burnout occurrence in adolescent athletes. Further, such athletes need to be supported in acquiring strategies to mitigate against threats to amotivation.

Prediction of life stress on athletes' burnout: the dual role of perceived stress.

Although many studies adopted Smith’s (1986) cognitive–affective model of athletic burnout in examining stress–burnout relationship, very few studies examined the mediating/moderating role of perceived stress on the stress–burnout relationship. We sampled 195 college student-athletes and assessed their life stress, perceived stress, and burnout. Correlation analyses found all study variables correlated. Two separate hierarchical regression analyses found that the “distress” component of perceived stress mediated athletes’ two types of life stress–burnout relationship but “counter-stress” component of perceived stress-moderated athletes’ general-life stress–burnout relationship. We concluded that interweaving relationships among athletes’ life stress, perceived stress, and burnout are not straightforward. Future research should consider the nature of athletes life stress, and dual role of perceived stress in examining its’ association with related psychological responses in athletic settings.

Developmental changes in burnout perceptions among student-athletes: An achievement goal perspective

This study examined (a) the developmental trajectories of student-athlete burnout perceptions and (b) the within-person relationship between achievement goals and burnout perceptions. A three-year and six-wave longitudinal study was conducted with 78 student-athletes (30 young women and 48 young men, Mage at T1 = 12.7 years, SD = 0.44), attending a sport compulsory school. The Athlete Burnout Questionnaire and the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire were used. The results from multilevel growth models revealed that burnout perceptions increased for this age group over the three-year period. Furthermore, task orientation was significantly and negatively related to a reduced sense of accomplishment and sport devaluation. The results from this study underline the advantage of considering developmental processes when studying burnout. Furthermore, by focusing on the within-person effect of achievement goals, this study provides findings that support a motivational approach to the longitudinally study of burnout propensity among young student-athletes. The current study suggests that sport school staff should be aware of their student-athletes’ burnout perceptions and that these could change over time. Results also highlights that task-oriented goals might help decrease burnout perceptions, specifically reduced sense of accomplishment and sport devaluation.

Examining Perceptions of Teammates’ Burnout and Training Hours in Athlete Burnout

Perceptions of teammates and training load have been shown to influence athletes’ physical and psychological health; however, limited research has investigated these factors in relation to burnout. Athletes (N = 140) from a variety of competitive team sports, ranging in level from regional to professional, completed questionnaires measuring individual burnout, perceptions of teammates’ burnout, and training hours per week on two occasions separated by three months. After controlling for burnout at time one, training hours were associated with athletes’ burnout and perceptions of teammates’ burnout at time two. Multilevel modeling indicated actual team burnout (i.e., the average burnout score of the individual athletes in a team) and perceived team burnout were associated with individual’s own burnout. The findings highlight that burnout is dynamic and relates to physiological stressors associated with training and psychological perceptions of teammates’ burnout. Future research directions exploring potential social influences on athlete burnout are presented.

Supporting adolescent mental health: examining the effects of an internet-supported resilience intervention in adolescent soccer players.

Event Abstract Back to Event Supporting adolescent mental health: examining the effects of an internet-supported resilience intervention in adolescent soccer players. Colin J. Bray1* and Christian Swann1 1 Department of Psychological Science, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Australia Aims: Organised sport has been highlighted as a promising setting in which to engage adolescents in mental health discourse. Psychological resilience (PR) is one important mechanism for individuals to deal with stress and produce appropriate responses to adversity in order to help them to maintain, or return to, mental health. Ahead of the Game (AOTG) is an evidence-based, multi-component, community sport-based program in improving mental health literacy, wellbeing and resilience among adolescent males. This study examines the efficacy of one specific AOTG component independently: an internet-supported intervention to improve resilience, wellbeing, adapted implicit belief and athletic engagement, lower psychological distress and athletic burnout in adolescent soccer players. Methods: A matched control repeated measures design was used with measurements at baseline and six week follow up. Participants (N = 83, females = 19, males = 64). The intervention group (n = 55) completed a one hour workshop and a 6-module interactive online program to promote resilience skills over a two week period. The control group (n = 28) were placed on a waitlist and received no additional treatment. Intervention effects were tested on measures of adolescent’s self-reported resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10 item), psychological distress (Kessler-6), wellbeing (Keyes Mental Health Continuum Short Form) and adapted implicit belief, athletic engagement and athletic burnout questionnaires. Results: It was hypothesised that, compared with adolescents in the control group, adolescents who participated in the intervention would display increased resilience. It was further hypothesised that compared with adolescents in the control group, adolescents who participated in the intervention would display improved wellbeing and more adaptive implicit beliefs about managing adversity. Conclusions: Given the potential for organised sport as an engaging setting in which to improve mental health, supporting these hypotheses and demonstrating efficacy of this intervention could be important for promoting adolescent mental health. Keywords: adolescence, wellbeing, Sport, Online, matched controlled study Conference: 15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference , Coffs Harbour, Australia, 4 Oct - 5 Oct, 2018. Presentation Type: Research Topic: Abstract for 15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference Citation: Bray CJ and Swann C (2019). Supporting adolescent mental health: examining the effects of an internet-supported resilience intervention in adolescent soccer players.. Front. Psychol. Conference Abstract: 15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference . doi: 10.3389/conf.fpsyg.2018.74.00003 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 18 Sep 2018; Published Online: 27 Sep 2019. * Correspondence: Mr. Colin J Bray, Department of Psychological Science, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia, c.bray.10@student.scu.edu.au Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Colin J Bray Christian Swann Google Colin J Bray Christian Swann Google Scholar Colin J Bray Christian Swann PubMed Colin J Bray Christian Swann Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Psychological Process of Athletic Burnout Experienced by Adolescent Players

Psychological Process of Athletic Burnout Experienced by Adolescent Players

The relationship between athlete burnout and perfectionism: A meta-analysis

In this meta-analysis, we examined the relationships between two types of perfectionism (i.e., perfectionistic strivings and concerns) and athlete burnout. A total of 18 studies in 17 articles (i.e., one article included two studies with different data sets) were included and analyzed. Random-effects models were used to test the relationships between perfectionism and burnout in athletes. The results indicated that perfectionistic strivings were negatively related to athlete burnout while perfectionistic concerns were shown to be positively related to athlete burnout. Perfectionistic strivings are functionally adaptive to burnout in athletes, whereas perfectionistic concerns are functionally maladaptive to athlete burnout. Gender significantly moderated the relationship between perfectionistic concerns and athlete burnout.

Perfectionism, coping, and burnout among intercollegiate varsity athletes: A person-oriented investigation of group differences and mediation

ObjectivesThe current study examined whether athletes, classified according to their perfectionism profile, differed across burnout and coping function and whether differences in burnout were mediated by coping. DesignCross-sectional. MethodAmerican intercollegiate varsity athletes (N = 173; 50% female; M age = 19.83 years) completed measures assessing their perfectionistic tendencies towards sport, their perceptions of burnout, and the function of their coping efforts in sport. Latent profile analysis followed by the three-step method (Asparouhov & Muthén, 2014) was used to classify participants according to their perfectionistic tendencies and to identify class differences in burnout and coping. Regression analyses were used to test whether coping function mediated class differences in burnout. ResultsA 3-class model was adopted that classified participants into mixed perfectionists, pure personal standards perfectionists, and nonperfectionists as defined in the 2 × 2 model (Gaudreau & Thompson, 2010). Mixed perfectionists showed the highest levels of athlete burnout and reported using avoidant coping to a greater extent and emotion-focused coping to a lesser extent, than pure personal standards perfectionists. Despite these differences, coping function was not identified as a mediator of class differences in burnout. ConclusionsThe distinction between mixed perfectionists, pure personal standards perfectionists, and nonperfectionists appears to be useful for the classification of perfectionistic orientations endorsed by North American high-performance athletes. Whereas mixed perfectionists appear to be the most susceptible to athlete burnout, the function of their coping efforts in sport was not identified as a mechanism behind this characteristic.

Examining the stress-burnout relationship: the mediating role of negative thoughts.

BackgroundUsing Smith’s (1986) cognitive-affective model of athletic burnout as a guiding framework, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among athletes’ stress in life, negative thoughts, and the mediating role of negative thoughts on the stress-burnout relationship.MethodsA total of 300 college student-athletes (males = 174; females = 126, Mage = 20.43 y, SD = 1.68) completed the College Student Athlete’s Life Stress Scale (CSALSS; Lu et al., 2012), the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ; Hollon & Kendall, 1980), and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ; Raedeke & Smith, 2001).ResultsCorrelational analyses found that two types of life stress and four types of negative thoughts correlated with burnout. Additionally, hierarchical regression analyses found that four types of negative thoughts partially mediated the stress-burnout relationship.DiscussionWe concluded that an athlete’s negative thoughts play a pivotal role in predicting athletes’ stress-burnout relationship. Future study may examine how irrational cognition influences athletes’ motivation and psychological well-being.

The Relationships among Perceived Stress, Athletic Burnout and Leisure Participation for the Badminton Player

Objective - This study examines the relationship between perceived stress, athletic burnout and leisure amongst badminton players. Methodology/Technique - The research subjects were all first national ranking tournament badminton players in 2012. The study uses convenience sampling to conduct a questionnaire survey. 350 questionnaires were distrubuted, with 288 valid questionnaires being returned (male 195, female 93). The rate of effectiveness was 82%. All of the data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistic and hierarchical regression analysis. Findings – The research subjects were all first national ranking tournament badminton players in 2012. The study uses convenience sampling to conduct a questionnaire survey. 350 questionnaires were distrubuted, with 288 valid questionnaires being returned (male 195, female 93). The rate of effectiveness was 82%. All of the data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistic and hierarchical regression analysis. Novelty – The study highlights that badminton players who participate in leisure-based activities are able to effectively adjust their perception of pressure to a "reduced sense of accomplishment" which has an effect on athletic burnout. Additionally, the study results give rise to variety of proposed solutions or suggestions for dealing with burnout or stress. Type of Paper - Empirical Keywords: Hierarchical Regression Analysis; Sources of Stress; Leisure; Badminton Players. JEL Classification: M10, Z20.

Athlete Burnout Prevention Strategies Used by U.S. Collegiate Soccer Coaches

Athlete burnout is an important psychological health concern that may be influenced by coach behaviors. Participants were 933 collegiate soccer coaches who described their utilization of burnout prevention strategies. Deductive content analysis was used to categorize and interpret responses. The most frequently endorsed prevention strategies involved managing/limiting physical stressors. Reducing nonsport stressors and promoting autonomy and relatedness were also endorsed. Motivational climate changes and secondary prevention strategies were infrequently reported. These findings can help inform the design of educational programming to ensure that all coaches are aware of the range of ways in which they can help prevent athlete burnout.

Analyzing the Relationship Between Burnout and Depression in Junior Elite Athletes

Findings on burnout and depression in athletes highlight their potential severity. Although both constructs are discussed in similar, stress-based concepts, it is unclear how they relate to each other. To address this issue, we conducted a crosssectional multiple linear regression analysis (MLR; N = 194) and a longitudinal analysis of a three-wave cross-lagged panel (CLP; n = 92) in German junior elite athletes. MLR showed that depression and burnout were both associated with chronic stress. Stress was a significant better predictor for both burnout and depression than each was for the other. CLP analysis on the constructs of burnout and depression revealed support for cross-paths in both directions. Thus, burnout and depression might cause each other to some degree, with no distinct direction of this link. However, as both syndromes do not fully explain each other, interchanging both terms and syndromes should be avoided. Preferably, future research might consider the transfer of knowledge between both syndromes to draw founded conclusions.

The temporal relations across burnout dimensions in athletes.

Burnout is a construct that has garnered considerable attention in sport psychology within recent years. Several hypothesized models regarding how the three dimensions (exhaustion, devaluation, and reduced sense of accomplishment) temporally relate to each other have been advanced. One proposal outlined by Maslach and Leiter suggests that exhaustion predicts devaluation which predicts reduced sense of accomplishment. However, there is no consensus among researchers as it has been argued that exhaustion predicts devaluation and reduced accomplishment separately. The aim of this study was to test multiple alternative hypotheses regarding the relationships of the burnout dimensions in athletes. Two samples of Swedish youth elite athletes with differing time spans between measurements were used. Specifically, one sample involved time-intensive measures collected every week over an eight-week period, and the other sample included four measurement points across an 18-month period. Results showed that none of the previously proposed models outlining the temporal relations of burnout dimensions were supported. Statistical analysis of the models including the cross-lagged predictions of dimensions did not have any statistically significant impact except when exhaustion negatively predicted devaluation between time 1 (month 0) and time 2 (month 6) in the 18-month sample; this relation faded in the following time points. Further, issues regarding the stability of devaluation and reduced sense of accomplishment emerged as their autocorrelation were very weak in the time-intensive sample. These findings raise a number of points for further theoretical and practical discussions about the athlete burnout construct.

Motivational profiles and burnout in elite athletes: A person-centered approach

The aim of this study was to assess the link between elite athletes' motivational profiles and burnout using a person-centered approach. Participants were 391 Spanish elite athletes (201 males and 190 females), aged 16–30 years who completed questionnaires measuring demographic information, self-determined motivation, and athlete burnout. Latent profile analysis resulted in a five profile solution labeled: amotivation (Class 1), low motivation (Class 2), moderately autonomous motivation (Class 3), amotivated and moderately controlled motivation (Class 4), and highly motivated (Class 5). While no significant differences were found in emotional/physical exhaustion, Class 4 (amotivated and moderately controlled motivation) scored higher than classes 2 (low motivation), 3 (moderately autonomous motivation), and 5 (highly motivated) on a Reduced sense of Accomplishment and Sport Devaluation. Findings are discussed in relation to Self-Determination Theory, suggesting that the quality of one's motivation may be equally, if not more important than the quantity of motivation in determining subsequent health, well-being, and performance outcomes.

A Pilot Study of Trait Emotional Intelligence as a Moderator of the Associations Among Social Perceptions, Athlete Burnout, and Well-Being in Collegiate Athletes

A Pilot Study of Trait Emotional Intelligence as a Moderator of the Associations Among Social Perceptions, Athlete Burnout, and Well-Being in Collegiate Athletes

고등학교 태권도선수의 셀프리더십에 따른 운동스트레스 및 운동탈진의 관계

Nowadays, the athletic stress and athletic burnout of Taekwondo athletes is negatively affected to the athletes. So, this study aims to find out the player of the self leadership between the Athletic Stress and the Athletic Burnout that traces the structural relationship of self leadership, athletic stress, and athletic burnout as it is the plan to prevent the athletic stress and athletic burnout of high-school Taekwondo athletes. Toward this end, data were collected from 315 sparring athletes who participated in 2017 National Taekwondo Championship through purposeful sampling, one of Nonprobability Sampling methods. As for a data processing method, frequency analysis, reliability analysis and correlation analysis were conducted through PASW/PC 21, and confirmative factor analysis and structural equation were implemented to define relationships among variables through the use of AMOS 18.0 before verification of significance of indirect effects based on bootstrapping. As a result of analysis, the followings were found out. First, the self leadership of high-school Taekwondo competition athletes is negatively correlated with the athletic stress. Second, the self leadership of high-school Taekwondo competition athletes is also negatively correlated with the athletic burnout. Third, the self leadership of high-school Taekwondo competition athletes is positively correlated with the athletic burnout.

Supplemental Material for Development and Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of a New Measure of Athlete Burnout: The Athlete Burnout Scale

Supplemental Material for Development and Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of a New Measure of Athlete Burnout: The Athlete Burnout Scale

Mental toughness and burnout in junior athletes: A longitudinal investigation

ObjectivesMental toughness correlated negatively with burnout in several cross-sectional studies. It is unclear, however, whether mental toughness predicts changes in athlete burnout over time. DesignTwo-wave longitudinal design. MethodWe examined mental toughness and burnout in 93 junior athletes (mean age 17.7 years) across a three-month period of active training. ResultsRegression analyses revealed that mental toughness predicted residual decreases in total burnout, reduced sense of accomplishment, physical and emotional exhaustion, and devaluation over time. ConclusionAs such, mental toughness may offer athletes protection from the experience of burnout symptoms in sport.