Burnout in sport: Understanding the process - from early warning signs to individualized intervention

Abstract

First paragraph: Burnout as an academic construct within the field of sport psychology, and burnout framed in the anecdotal accounts of athletes, coaches, parents, athletic directors, and trainers, appears to present two very different situations in terms of familiarity and understanding. Sport psychology journal articles and book chapters on the topic explain that there is a paucity of research in the field (Dale & Weinberg, 1990; Fender, 1989; Gould, Tuffey, Udry, & Loehr, 1996a), and that this limited empirical base has resulted in the concept being little understood as an applied area (Raedeke, Lunney, & Venables, 2002). In contrast, burnout as a lay term used by members of the sport community has experienced widespread colloquial use and been greeted with enormous public appeal. In the 1990’s it was described as a “hot” topic (Gould et al., 1996a), a “buzzword” within this environment (Raedeke, 1997), and significant media attention followed - and continues today. In turn, the latter has served to further popularize it amongst the wider public. Burnout, thus, has become a term used in everyday language by both members of the sport community (Vealey, Armstrong, Comar, & Greenleaf, 1998) and sports fans alike, and as such, appears as a concept that is readily understood and observable in day-to-day practice.