Sport Orientation Predicts Athlete Burnout in Elite Soccer Players

Subject Areas : Exercise Physiology and Performance

Meysam Beik ¹ , Esmaeel Mazhar Esmaeel ²

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Received: 2024-11-05 Accepted : 2024-12-09 Published : 2024-09-08

Keywords: Competitiveness, Football, Goal orientation, Overtraining syndrome, Professional athlete, Winning orientation,

Abstract :

Background: Sport orientation can affect athlete burnout and performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between sport orientation and athlete burnout in elite soccer players.

Methods: The statistical population of this study was Iraqi elite soccer players (Mean age, 27.3 ± 7.8 yrs; age range, 20-40 yrs) who were activing in the Premier League teams of Iraq (Mean, 8.2 ± 4.5 yrs). The sample included 144 athletes that were convincible selected. The measurement tools included sport orientation questionnaire and athlete burnout questionnaire to measure the orientation and the level of burnout of the athletes, respectively.

Results: Multivariate regression test was used to analyze the data of sport orientation as a predictor variable and analysis of sport burnout as a criterion variable. The results showed a negative relationship (r = -.2) between sports orientation and athlete burnout in elite soccer players. In addition, the regression results showed that regression coefficients of predictor variables of competitiveness, goal orientation and winning orientation were significant in relation to athlete burnout as criterion variable (Ps < .05). The variables of competitiveness (t = -6.63, β = -.53), goal orientation (t = -6.13, β = -.49) and winning orientation (t = -6.17, β = .39) predicted changes in athlete burnout. So, increasing competitiveness and goal orientation variables reduce burnout whereas increased win-orientation increases burnout in elite soccer players.

Conclusion: As a result, it is better for coaches and athletes to develop competitiveness and goal orientation in order to prevent the burnout of elite soccer players.

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