From pressure to breaking point : exploring sport motivation, big five personality traits, and sport anxiety as antecedents of burnout in university athletes

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between motivation, sport anxiety, big five personality traits and athlete burnout, making use of a cross section research design. A total of 200 university athletes between the ages of 18-26 years participated in the study, completing a battery of scales measuring motivation, sport anxiety, and personality traits. Pearson product moment correlation, multiple hierarchical regression analyses and mediations analyses were conducted to evaluate the results. The findings show that sport motivation (intrinsic regulation, introjected regulation and amotivation), personality traits (neuroticism, conscientiousness), and sport anxiety are correlated with and predicted various dimensions of athlete burnout. Sport anxiety mediated the relationship between introjected regulation, intrinsic regulation and amotivation. The study identified several antecedents of burnout in university athletes than can help address symptoms of burnout and prevent the negative consequences that arise as a result of burnout.