Effect of practice hours on elite junior tennis players’ burnout: Gender differences

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of training hours on elite junior tennis players’ burnout with attention to gender differences. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used in this research. A sample of 70 junior elite Tunisian tennis players (17.01 ± 0.81y) completed a demographic and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Results showed that 64% ( n = 45) had a low risk, 14% ( n = 10) had a moderate risk, 13% ( n = 9) showed a high risk of burnout and 9% ( n = 6) had burnout with individual differences. Analysis of variance revealed that players who trained more than 12 h (high volume) reported significantly higher scores of the burnout dimensions: emotional and physical exhaustion ( p < 0.001; d = 2.18); sport devaluation ( p < 0.001; d = 2.36); reduced sense of accomplishment ( p < 0.001; d = 2.27); as well general burnout ( p < 0.01; d = 2.69), than players that trained less than 12 h (moderate volume and low volume). The effect of gender was observed in the variables of emotional and physical exhaustion (t = 2.17; p < 0.03), sport devaluation ( t = 2.23; p < 0.029), reduced sense of accomplishment ( t = 2.58; p < 0.012) and general burnout ( t = 2.41; p < 0.019) with female players showing higher scores in all of the burnout dimensions. It was concluded that the high volume of weekly training hours by junior players was associated with higher levels of the general burnout scores and that female players showed higher burnout scores than their male counterparts.

Competence Needs Satisfaction in elite junior tennis: Gender differences

“…In relation to gender athlete burnout, our study showed no significant effect, which is similar to the findings of Dos Santos et al 31 who found no effect of the gender variable on the perception of burnout dimensions among junior swimmers and volleyball players of both genders. Nonetheless, Mouelhi-Guizani et al 68 found gender differences in the variables of emotional and physical exhaustion ( t = 2.17; p < 0.03), sport devaluation ( t = 2.23; p < 0.029), RSA ( t = 2.58; p < 0.012), and general burnout ( t = 2.41; p < 0.019) with female tennis players showing higher scores in all of the burnout dimensions than their male counterparts. Further, Casagrande, Coimbra and Andrade 69 found burnout differences in 18-and-under tennis players.…”