The Impacts of Burnout on Athletic Identity and Attitude towards Sport

Abstract

Sports can be a positive experience for some. However, it can also lead to increased stress and ultimately result in burnout. Previous research has examined burnout in sports. Although, little research has been conducted on how experiencing burnout can affect other factors such as an athlete’s view of their sport and their athletic identity. Collegiate athletes face many responsibilities: school, work, long hours of practice, physical, emotional, and social demands. An accumulation of these factors, combined with the inability to effectively cope with such demands, can lead an athlete to experience high levels of burnout. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential impacts that burnout could have on a collegiate athlete’s attitude towards their sport and their athletic identity. A phenomenological approach was used to examine five participants who scored high on the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Participants underwent a 1 h interview that evaluated their attitude towards sport and athletic identity. It was found that there was a meaningful negative change in attitude towards sport; however, no meaningful or permanent change was prevalent when evaluating athletic identity.