How relationship-maintenance strategies influence athlete burnout: Mediating roles of coach–athlete relationship and basic psychological needs satisfaction

Abstract

IntroductionAthlete burnout has many potential negative effects on athletes’ sporting performance and careers. Maintaining and promoting the coach–athlete relationship to meet athletes’ basic psychological needs is one way to reduce burnout. Existing studies of the correlation between coach-athlete relationships and athlete burnout have mainly focused on the coaches’ leadership style, with little attention given to relationship-maintenance strategies and the mechanism of athlete burnout from the athletes’ perspective.MethodsUsing an online survey of 256 adolescent athletes, we explore the relationship between relationship-maintenance strategies and athlete burnout, including the potential mediating effects of the coach–athlete relationship and basic psychological needs satisfaction.Results(1) Athletes’ relationship-maintenance strategies negatively predicted athlete burnout. (2) Besides the direct effect, we found evidence to support three mediation paths: (a) the coach–athlete relationship, (b) basic psychological needs satisfaction, and (c) both as serial mediators.DiscussionThese findings enhance understanding of the mechanism of athlete burnout, demonstrating the influence of factors beyond the coach’s role. The study also provides a theoretical basis for practical intervention by coaches, athletes, and sports organizations to reduce athlete burnout by focusing on athletes’ perspectives.

Five unsolved issues concerning burnout in athletes: An expert perspective

“…The role of recovery in athlete burnout has not yet been fully considered. The demands of the sporting context presuppose the need for recovery as a process of restoring depleted resources [30, 31, 32]. In addition to physical recovery, psychological and social aspects are also linked to this process [33].…”

¿Tienen burnout los jugadores de voleibol? Un estudio exploratorio en Andalucía

“…Como siguen mostrando algunas investigaciones recientes (Fan et al, 2023;Li et al, 2023;Zhao et al, 2022), las consecuencias de sufrir burnout no sólo se refieren a la retirada deportiva; su influencia se extiende a los campos afectivo (se experimenta un distanciamiento de los seres queridos, depresión) y motivacional (se reduce la motivación, la sensación de logro, aflorando el sentimiento de desamparo y desesperación) del individuo, Además, debido al desgaste de las fuentes energéticas, al síndrome de burnout también se le han atribuido consecuencias fisiológicas: aumento en el riesgo de padecer enfermedades cardiovasculares, deterioro de la función inmunológica del organismo e inflamación crónica (Gustafsson et al, 2011). Por tanto, adquirir una comprensión más profunda del problema es esencial para los entrenadores, managers y organizaciones deportivas con el objetivo de reducir al máximo su presencia en la sociedad (Gerber et al, 2018;Gustafsson et al, 2011;Isoard-Gautheur et al, 2016;Lemyre et al, 2006).…”

The relationship between cumulative family risk and athlete burnout among Chinese college athletes: the mediating role of negative affect

“…Previous research has explored that social support could restrain or prevent Athlete burnout through mental toughness and sports motivation base on Chinese samples ( Shang and Yang, 2021 ). Relationship maintenance strategies negatively predicted burnout in Chinese adolescent athletes ( Fan et al, 2023 ). Adaptive perfectionism negatively predicted burnout in Chinese adolescent athletes ( Chen et al, 2008 ).…”