Motivation Mediates the Perfectionism–Burnout Relationship: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study With Junior Athletes

in Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

Click name to view affiliation

Daniel J. Madigan University of Kent
York St John University

Search for other papers by Daniel J. Madigan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Joachim Stoeber University of Kent

Search for other papers by Joachim Stoeber in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Louis Passfield University of Kent

Search for other papers by Louis Passfield in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2015-0238
Keywords:
perfectionism; athlete burnout; longitudinal study; self-determination theory; autonomous motivation; controlled motivation
In Print:
Volume 38: Issue 4
Page Range:
341–354
Restricted access

Perfectionism in sports has been shown to predict longitudinal changes in athlete burnout. What mediates these changes over time, however, is still unclear. Adopting a self-determination theory perspective and using a three-wave longitudinal design, the current study examined perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns, autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and athlete burnout in 141 junior athletes (mean age = 17.3 years) over 6 months of active training. When multilevel structural equation modeling was employed to test a mediational model, a differential pattern of between- and within-person relationships emerged. Whereas autonomous motivation mediated the negative relationship that perfectionistic strivings had with burnout at the between- and within-person level, controlled motivation mediated the positive relationship that perfectionistic concerns had with burnout at the between-persons level only. The present findings suggest that differences in autonomous and controlled motivation explain why perfectionism predicts changes in athlete burnout over time.

Daniel J. Madigan and Louis Passfield are with the School of Sport & Exercise Sciences, University of Kent, Kent, UK. Madigan is also with the School of Sport, York St John University, York, UK. Joachim Stoeber is with the School of Psychology, University of Kent, Kent, UK. Address author correspondence to Daniel Madigan at d.madigan@yorksj.ac.uk.
  • Collapse
  • Expand

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

Cover Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 3978 1180 85
Full Text Views 512 105 13
PDF Downloads 696 131 14