Sports Psychology Discoveries

ABSTRACT. Athletes’ experiences and perceptions of their coaches will be different based on differing lifestyles, personalities, and characters, and gender may be a mediating factor for the building of effective relationships between athletes and their coaches.  The researchers compared predictors of engagement and burnout in adolescent athletes and non-athletes by focusing on daily positive and negative performance-related events and interpersonal events. The experiences of athletes versus non-athletes differentially predicted burnout. 

In athletes, burnout related to both performance and interpersonal events. These findings indicate that experiencing positive and negative events is a precursor for engagement and burnout in high school athletes and non-athletes. 

In Dr. John F. Murray’s work with athletes, assessment of burnout, statelness and optimal engagement is a standard part of the evaluation. It is also something that is frequently visited. The key is to maintain optimal motivation when you are engaged in challenging activities. 

 While we did not go into great depth in sharing this absract from a study looking at burnout, it is just one example of how research and science drives clinical practice. The good sports psychologist needs to keep up to date on the latest scientific findings and use it to best help his or her clients.

DR. JOHN F. MURRAY’S TAKE: THIS IS A GREAT TOPIC FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN HIGH LEVEL PERFORMANCE. WITHOUT OPTIMAL MOTIVATION, LITTLE IS POSSIBLE. BURNOUT IS NOT THE SAME AS CLINICAL DEPRESSION, BUT THIS ALSO RAISES THE POINT THAT A GOOD SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO TREAT CLINICAL PROBLEMS WHEN THEY EXISIT, AND TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH STATES LIKE BURNOUT FROM DEPRESSION, AS JUST ONE EXAMPLE.  SEE ALL THE EXCITING UPDATES AT MY MAIN PAGE AT JOHNFMURRAY.COM AND THE DEVELOPING NEW SITE AT SPORTSPSYCHOLOGY.COM.