Longitudinal trajectories of athlete burnout among young table tennis players: A 3-wave study

Purpose:The purposes of this study were to examine the trajectories of athlete burnout across a 2-month period characterized by high physical,psychological,and social demands to explore(1)whether several subgroups of athletes representing distinct burnout trajectories emerged from the analyses and(2)whether athlete burnout symptoms(reduced accomplishment,sport devaluation,and exhaustion)developed in tandem or whether some burnout dimensions predicted downstream changes in other dimensions(causal ordering model).Methods:One hundred and fifty-nine table tennis players in intensive training centers completed a self-reported athlete burnout measure across 3 time points within a 2-month period characterized by high demands.Data were analyzed through latent class growth analysis.Results:Results of latent class growth analysis showed 3 distinct trajectories for each athlete burnout dimension,indicating not only linear or quadratic change but also stability in longitudinal athlete burnout perceptions.Results also suggested that the 3 dimensions of athlete burnout did not develop in tandem.Rather,the likelihood of belonging to particular emerging trajectories of sport devaluation and physical/emotional exhaustion was significantly influenced by the athletes’perception of reduced accomplishment assessed at Time 1.Thus,reduced accomplishment predicted downstream changes in the 2 other athlete burnout dimensions.Conclusion:As a whole,these results highlighted that the multinomial heterogeneity in longitudinal athlete burnout symptoms needs to be accounted for in future research.

The Influence of Swimming Athletes’ Burnout on Their Sports Participation Motivation in Hunan, China

Objective:This study aims to explore the effect of swimming athletes’burnout on their sports motivation in Hunan University,China.It seeks to understand how burnout influences various motivational factors,providing insights for optimizing swimming sports courses and enhancing student participation.Method:Employing random sampling,the study surveyed 260 swimming athletes from Hunan University.The research utilized a questionnaire divided into three parts:demographic information,the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire(ABQ),and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory(IMI).Pearson’s r correlation analysis was conducted using SPSS to examine the relationships between burnout dimensions and motivational factors.Results:The study found significant correlations between a reduced sense of accomplishment and various motivational dimensions,including“interest/enjoyment,”“perceived competence,”“perceived choice,”and particularly“perceived tension.”Physical exhaustion showed a significant correlation only with“perceived tension,”indicating a strong link between psychological stress and physical fatigue.Sports devaluation was significantly correlated with“perceived tension,”suggesting that psychological stress impacts athletes’valuation of their sport.Conclusion:The findings highlight the complex interplay between burnout and motivation in swimming athletes.Psychological stress,as indicated by“perceived tension,”emerges as a key factor influencing both the physical and emotional aspects of burnout.The study underscores the need for holistic training approaches that balance physical training with psychological well-being,personalized coaching,and supportive environments to enhance intrinsic motivation and manage stress effectively.