Presenters: Garron Schweighardt
Authors: Garron Schweighardt, Benjamin Brooks, Merrill Funk, Marcus Lawrence
Faculty Advisor: Marcus Lawrence
Institution: Southern Utah University
It has been well documented that athlete mental health can have a negative influence on athletic performance. Recent work by the NCAA has found that the proportion of athlete’s experiencing negative mental health is continually increasing in college athletes as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses. However, it is currently unknown how athlete burnout in collegiate Division I athletes differs by sex and year in school approximately 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic.PURPOSE:To examine the influence of gender and year in school on athlete burnout in Division I collegiate athletes approximately 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS:Participants (n=31 male, n=54 female) were current collegiate athletes at a Division I university in the U.S.A. The Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) was used to assess overall athlete burnout as well as subtypes of athlete burnout including reduced sense of accomplishment, emotional/physical exhaustion, and devaluation.RESULTS:Overall athlete burnout was significantly (p<0.05) higher in female compared to male (38.74±10.78 vs 34.26±9.25), with devaluation also being significantly higher in females compared to males (11.17±4.66 vs 8.81±3.67). No significant differences (data not shown) were observed between sexes in the two other athlete burnout subtypes (reduced sense of accomplishment and emotional/physical exhaustion). Further, overall athlete burnout (41.95±10.96 vs 33.00±8.45, respectively) as well as all three athlete burnout subtypes (data not shown) were significantly (p<0.001) higher in upper-class (junior/senior) compared to lower-class (freshmen/sophomore) student athletes, regardless of sex.CONCLUSIONS:Approximately 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, athlete burnout is continuing to rise, especially in females and upper-class student athletes. Athletes and coaches should be aware of this continued detrimental aspect of mental health and implement appropriate coping strategies to maintain athlete mental health as well as athletic performance.