Developmental Differences in Burnout Among High School Athletes in the United States: A Gendered Perspective

in Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology

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Tsz Lun (Alan) Chu University of Wisconsin–Green Bay

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Bailey Sommerfeld University of Wisconsin–Green Bay

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Tao Zhang University of North Texas

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2021-0017
Keywords:
age; developmental model of sport participation; specialization; youth sport
First Published Online:
21 Sep 2021
In Print:
Volume 16: Issue 1
Page Range:
42–54
Restricted access

Building on recent research examining athlete burnout trajectories, this study implemented the developmental model of sport participation to compare emotional and physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation between age groups (specializing [aged 13–15 years] vs. investment [aged 16–18 years]) and gender (boys vs. girls) among U.S. high school athletes. Participants were 367 high school athletes (M = 15.53; 212 males; 186 specializing) across various individual and team sports who completed a survey assessing their demographic information, sport backgrounds, and burnout perceptions. A 2 × 2 multivariate analysis of covariance, controlling for training hours, showed greater emotional and physical exhaustion and sport devaluation in the investment than the specializing group, but no developmental differences in reduced sense of accomplishment. Contrary to our hypothesis, no gender or interaction effects were found. Findings inform interventions and future research that address the role of developmental stages and gender in athlete burnout.

Chu and Sommerfeld are with the Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, Green Bay, WI, USA. Zhang is with the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.

Chu (chua@uwgb.edu) is corresponding author.
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