Athlete burnout in elite sport: a self-determination perspective.
Using self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) as the theoretical framework, we examined potential antecedents of athlete burnout in 201 elite Canadian athletes (121 females, 80 males; mean age 22.9 years). Employing a cross-sectional design, our primary aims were to investigate the relationships between behavioural regulations and athlete burnout and to examine whether self-determined motivation mediated relationships between basic needs satisfaction and athlete burnout. Our self-determination theory-derived hypotheses were largely supported. Relationships among athlete burnout and behavioural regulations mostly varied according to their rank on the self-determination continuum, with less self-determined motives showing positive associations and more self-determined motives showing negative correlations with burnout. The basic needs of competence and autonomy, plus self-determined motivation, accounted for significant amounts of variance in athlete burnout symptoms (exhaustion, R(2) = 0.31; devaluation, R(2) = 0.49; reduced accomplishment, R(2) = 0.61; global burnout, R(2) = 0.74). Self-determined motivation fully mediated the relationships that competence and autonomy had with exhaustion. Analyses showed indirect relationships between these two needs and devaluation, through their associations with self-determined motivation. Motivation partially mediated the needs-reduced sense of accomplishment relationships, but the direct effects were more prominent than the indirect effects.
Lonsdale
Chris
C
Irish Rugby Football Union and School of Physiotherapy and Performance Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. chris.lonsdale@ucd.ie
Hodge
Ken
K
Rose
Elaine
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000523:psychology*; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012649:Self Concept; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D055815:Young Adult