Burnout Flashcards
Overtraining definition
A collection of symptoms as a result of excessive overload without adequate rest.
Staleness definition
Significant performance decrement caused by overtraining
Burnout definition
Characterised by exhaustion (but athlete will not always dropout)
Drop out definition
Withdrawal from exercise
4 key terms associated with burnout
- Overtraining
- Staleness
- Burnout
- Drop out
Modern definition of burnout
“a physical, emotional and social withdrawal from a formerly enjoyable sport activity” (Gould and Whitley, 2009)
Three Dimensions of Burnout Theory
- Physical and/or emotional exhaustion
- Reduced sense of accomplishment
- Sport devaluation
Physical and/or emotional exhaustion is associated with…
intense training and competition
Reduced sense of accomplishment is related to…
skills and abilities of the athlete
- the athletes feel they are unable to achieve personal goals or they perform below expectation
Sport devaluation is…
loss of interest, ‘don’t care’ attitude or resentment toward performance and the sport.
Name the 5 categories of symptoms
- Affective
- Behavioural
- Cognitive
- Motivational
- Physical
Example of affective symptoms
Negative affect
Examples of behavioural symptoms
- lack of caring
- concentration problems
Examples of cognitive symptoms
- emotional isolation
- low self-esteem
- increased anxiety
- mental exhaustion
Examples of motivational symptoms
- low motivation
- loss of desire to play
Examples of physical symptoms
- sleep disturbance
- substance abuse
- low energy
- physical exhaustion
Consequences of burnout
- decreased commitments to training
- performance decrements
- mood changes
- injury & illness
- poor recovery from injury/illness
- social issues (drug/alcohol abuse, relationships)
Gustafsson’s Integrated Model of Athlete Burnout shows…?
- states that ‘antecedents’, ‘entrapment, personality, coping and the environment contribute to burnout and the early signs of burnout.
- also states that maladaptive consequences are a result of burnout
Examples of antecedents
- overtraining
- school/work demands
- stressful social relations
Examples of entrapment
- social constraints
- performance based self esteem
Examples of personality, coping and environment
- perfectionism
- trait anxiety
- low social support
- goal orientation
Examples of maladaptive consequences
- withdrawal (partial or complete)
- impaired immune function
Examples of early signs of burnout
- mood disturbance
- diminishing motivation
- lack of control
- performance decrement
Prevention and treatment
- education (practitioners, coaches, parents)
- monitor critical stress levels, stress sources, training volumes & recovery)
- take relaxation breaks for mental & physical well-being
- psychological skills & coping strategies (realistic goals)
Benefit of setting realistic goals
Helps athletes balance their professional & personal lives as well as help manage their time.
