Examining the Utility of Stress-, Motivation-, and Commitment-Based Perspectives of Athlete Burnout

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Siobhán Woods School of Psychology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8127-5345
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Simon Dunne School of Psychology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3655-7647 *
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Pamela Gallagher School of Psychology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5558-1269
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2022-0127
Keywords:
exhaustion; reduced accomplishment; sport devaluation; self-determination theory; motivational climate
First Published Online:
18 Aug 2023
In Print:
Volume 45: Issue 5
Page Range:
257–268
Restricted access

Burnout, characterized by exhaustion, reduced accomplishment, and devaluation, can have substantial negative implications for athletes. Notably, researchers continue to examine burnout from multiple perspectives, commonly focusing on stress-, motivation-, or commitment-related factors, with limited efforts to consider these perspectives together. In contrast, this study aimed to assess the utility of these multiple perspectives and the key predictors of burnout in the same athlete sample. Data on burnout, stress, motivation, motivational climate, and sport commitment were gathered from 370 Gaelic games athletes. Separate structural equation models incorporating stress, motivation, and commitment factors as predictors of burnout dimensions were assessed. All models showed adequate fit. However, differences in effect size suggest that stress is more strongly associated with exhaustion, while commitment and motivation showed a stronger relationship with reduced accomplishment and devaluation. Evidence of significant predictors across perspectives also supports an integrated approach and may inform integration efforts and targeted intervention strategies.

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