Athlete burnout paves the way for further health problems according to York St John University research

Work conducted by York St John University PhD student, Hanna Glandorf, has been featured in an  American Psychological Association (APA) journal spotlight that highlights  new and noteworthy research in the field of psychology. 
 
Athlete burnout and mental and physical health: A three-wave longitudinal study of direct and reciprocal effects  identifies that athlete burnout may pave the way for further health problems, such as depressive symptoms. It also suggests that some health problems, such as reduced sleep quality or life satisfaction, can increase the risk for burnout development. 
 
First published in 2024 in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, the research was co-authored by Hanna, York St John lecturers Professor Daniel Madigan, Owen Kavanagh, and Sarah Mallinson-Howard, and Tracy Donachie (lecturer at Newcastle University), Luke Olsson (lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University) and James Rumbold (lecturer at University of Derby). 
 
Previous research has defined  athlete burnout as a syndrome consisting of three symptoms: exhaustion, a reduced sense of accomplishment and placing less value on one’s sport. These symptoms have been linked with poorer athletic performance and increased dropout from sport.  

The research conducted by Hanna and colleagues aimed to determine whether athlete burnout could predict several physical (for instance, physical and illness symptoms) and mental (for example, depressive symptoms, sleep disruptions, life satisfaction) health problems over time in a sample of 267 athletes. 
 
The study also highlighted the need for prevention and intervention strategies targeted at burnout in sport settings. 
 
Commenting on the research, Hanna, who is doing her PhD in sport psychology and biomedicine, said:  
 
“A key finding was that burnout predicted increases in depressive symptoms over time. This showed how severe the consequences of burnout can be — and highlights why it is important to screen for early signs of it in athletes, so that they can be supported before more serious health problems develop.” 
 
Co-author Dr Daniel Madigan, Professor of Sport and Health Psychology at York St John University, added:  
 
“Although sport has many positive outcomes, our work shows that even athletes are susceptible to burnout and its negative health consequences. Our findings suggest that interventions for enhancing sleep and recovery may be the most effective ways to protect athletes from these issues.” 
 
A follow-up article with further research is due to be published shortly. 
 
Read Athlete burnout paves the way for further health problems  in the APA’s Journals Article Spotlight.