A Bio-Physio-Psychological Investigation of Athletes' Burnout. Issue 1 (2nd January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Monfared, Shamsi Sanati; Lebeau, Jean-Charles; Mason, Justin; Cho, Seong Kwan; Basevitch, Itay; Perry, Inbal; Baur, Daniel Alan; Tenenbaum, Gershon
• Is Part Of: Research quarterly for exercise and sport. Volume 92:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 189
• Page End: 198
• Publication Date: 2021-01-02
• Subjects: Biological arousal -- cortisol -- self-comfort -- young athletes; Physical education and training -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; Recreation -- Periodicals; Physical Education and Training -- Periodicals; Sports -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; Lichamelijke opvoeding; Sport; Exercice -- Périodiques; Sports -- Périodiques; 613.7105
• DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2020.1715911
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0270-1367

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Purpose: Changes in biophysiological markers related to perceived burnout and self-comfort were tested in this study. Method: Forty-two student-athletes from middle and high school grades were evaluated for burnout, salivary cortisol levels, measures of arousal-related physiological markers (i.e., blood volume pulse; BVP), galvanic skin response (GSR), and respiratory rate, and self-comfort variables during the last two weeks of the season. Using self-comfort theory as its conceptual framework, we examined burnout through a conceptual model in which feeling of discomfort with the self was related to biophysiological markers affecting perceived burnout. The proposed model was tested by using a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results: The main findings indicate that increased self-discomfort is significantly (p < .001) associated with increased salivary cortisol (β = – 0.189) along with a significant (p = .050) decrease in GSR (β = – 0.259). Increased salivary cortisol is significantly (p < .001) associated with increased burnout (β = 0.242). Conclusion: The findings partially support the model and encourage further effort to capture the burnout syndrome through the integration of biological and psychological markers.