Perceived Stress and Burnout: Experiences of College Coaches in NCAA Division III Institutions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17161/jis.v19i2.24005Keywords:
mental fatigue, work-related exhaustion, role overloadAbstract
The purpose of this research is to explore how gender and family dynamics, particularly parenthood, impacts stress and burnout levels among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III coaches. Our sample reported moderate perceived stress but low overall burnout. This study analyzed 752 responses using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (α = .945) and Perceived Stress Scale (α = .888), applying descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests to identify differences. Results indicate that women coaches report significantly higher stress and burnout levels than men. Conversely, coaches with children experience lower perceived stress and personal burnout compared to those without children. These findings underscore gender disparities in stress and burnout while highlighting the potential buffering effect of parenthood. Personal life factors, particularly family dynamics, appear to play a crucial role in coaches’ mental well-being. Understanding burnout among coaches is essential for fostering a healthy team environment. Sport organizations should invest in mental health support tailored to coaches’ needs, incorporating family-oriented interventions to mitigate burnout. Prioritizing coaches' well-being can enhance overall team functioning and athlete development.
Downloads
References
Bentzen, M., Lemyre, P. N., & Kenttä, G. (2016). Changes in motivation and burnout indices in
high-performance coaches over the course of a competitive season. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 28, 28–48.
Brown, B. J., Aller, T. B., Lyons, L. K., Jensen, J. F., & Hodgson, J. L. (2022). NCAA Student-
Athlete Mental Health and Wellness: A Biopsychosocial Examination. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 59(3), 252–267. https://doi.org/10.1080/19496591.2021.1902820
Bruening, J., & Dixon, M. (2007). Work–Family Conflict in Coaching II: Managing Role Conflict. Journal of Sport Management, 21, 471–496. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.21.4.471
Caccese, T. M., & Mayerberg, C. K. (1984). Gender differences in perceived burnout of college
coaches. Journal of Sport Psychology, 6(3), 279–288.
Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A Global Measure of Perceived Stress. J Health Soc
Behav. 1983;24(4):385. doi:10.2307/2136404
Demerouti, E. (2024). Burnout: A comprehensive review. Zeitschrift Für Arbeitswissenschaft,
78(4), 492–504. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41449-024-00452- 3
Dixon, M. A., & Bruening, J. E. (2005). Perspectives on Work-Family Conflict in Sport: An
Integrated Approach. Sport Management Review, 8(3), 227–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1441-3523(05)70040-1
Fletcher, D., & Scott, M. (2010). Psychological stress in sports coaches: A review of concepts, research, and practice. Journal of Sports Sciences, 28(2), 127–137.
Freudenberger, H. J. (1980). Burn-out: The high cost of high achievement (1st ed., Anchor Press
ed.). Anchor Press.
Friedman, E. J., & Steinfeldt, J. A. (2024). New Game, New Stressors: Collegiate Men’s
Basketball Coaches’ Mental Health in the NIL and Transfer Portal Era. Health, 16(11), Article 11. https://doi.org/10.4236/health.2024.1611074
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., & Rice, S. M. (2023). Supporting The Mental Health Of
Elite-Level Coaches Through Early Intervention. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, 5(4), 100734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2023.04.017
Gilbert, A. M. (2012). Burnout and coping strategies among football coaches at Historically
Black Colleges and Universities [Ph.D., Capella University]. https://www.proquest.com/docview/1011619663/abstract/FC6A86F5F3ED48D9PQ/1
Graham, J.A., & Dixon, M.A. (2017). Work-family balance among coach fathers: A qualitative examination of enrichment, conflict, and role management strategies. Journal
of Sport Management, 31, 288–305. doi:10.1123/jsm.2016-0117
Graham, J. A., & Smith, A. B. (2022). Work and Life in the Sport Industry: A Review of Work-
Life Interface Experiences Among Athletic Employees. Journal of Athletic Training, 57(3), 210–224. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0633.20
Graham, J. A., Smith, A. B., & Dixon, M. A. (2019). Choosing Between Work and Family:
Analyzing the Influences of Work, Family, and Personal Life Among College Coaches. 12.
Greenhaus, J. H., & Powell, G. N. (2006). When work and family are allies: A theory of work-
family enrichment. Academy of Management Review, 31(1), 72–92.
Hassmén, P., Kenttä, G., Hjälm, S., Lundkvist, E., & Gustafsson, H. (2019). Burnout symptoms
and recovery processes in eight elite soccer coaches over 10 years. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 14(4), 431–443. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954119851246
Hassmén, P., Lundkvist, E., Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., & Gustafsson, H. (2020). Coach Burnout
in Relation to Perfectionistic Cognitions and Self-Presentation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(23), 8812. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238812
Huml, M. R., Taylor, E. A., & Dixon, M. A. (2020). From engaged worker to workaholic: A
mediated model of athletic department employees. European Sport Management
Quarterly, 21(4), 583–604. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2020.1765404
Khammissa, R. A. G., Nemutandani, S., Feller, G., Lemmer, J., & Feller, L. (2022). Burnout
phenomenon: Neurophysiological factors, clinical features, and aspects of management. The Journal of International Medical Research, 50(9), 03000605221106428. https://doi.org/10.1177/03000605221106428
Kilo, R. A., & Hassmén, P. (2016). Burnout and turnover intentions in Australian coaches as
related to organisational support and perceived control. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 11(2), 151–161. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954116636710
Knight CJ, Reade IL, Selzler AM, Rodgers WM. Personal and situational factors influencing
coaches' perceptions of stress. J Sports Sci. 2013;31(10):1054-63. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2012.759659. Epub 2013 Feb 13. PMID: 23402372.
Knights, S., & Ruddock-Hudson, M. (2016). Experiences of occupational stress and social
support in Australian Football League senior coaches. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 11(2), 162–171. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954116636711
Kotwas, I., McGonigal, A., Bastien-Toniazzo, M., Bartolomei, F., & Micoulaud-Franchi, J.-A.
(2017). Stress regulation in drug-resistant epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, 71, 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.01.025
Kristensen TS, Borritz M, Villadsen E, Christensen KB. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory: A new tool for the assessment of burnout. Work Stress. 2005;19(3):192-207.
doi:10.1080/02678370500297720
Matud, M. P. (2004). Gender differences in stress and coping styles. Pers. Individ. Dif. 37, 1401–1415. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2004.01.010
Mazerolle, S. M., & Eason, C. M. (2015). Perceptions of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female athletic trainers on motherhood and work-life balance: Individual- and sociocultural-level factors. Journal of Athletic Training, 50(8),
854–861. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-50.5.02
McDonald, K. S. (2015). Coaches’ Coping with Stressors: Hardiness in Coaching [M.Sc., The
University of Regina (Canada)]. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2528802661/abstract/AF2D4C0802E04E46PQ/1
Michael K, Schujovitzky D, Karnieli-Miller O. The associations between resilience, self-care,
and burnout among medical students. PLoS One. 2024 Sep 19;19(9):e0309994. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309994. PMID: 39298395; PMCID: PMC11412677.
Moen, F., Lervold ,Kathrine, Østerås ,Maja Olsen, & and Haugan, J. A. (2024). Protective
factors of burnout among Norwegian sport coaches. Cogent Psychology, 11(1), 2410560. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2024.2410560
National Field Hockey Coaches Association. (2022). 2022 NFHCA annual survey: Division I
results. https://nfhca.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Results-NFHCA-AnnualSurvey_D1_2022.pdf
NCAA coaches report increased focus on mental health, detail personal challenges. (2023,
January 26). NCAA.Org. https://www.ncaa.org/news/2023/1/26/media-center-ncaa-coaches-report-increased-focus-on-mental-health-detail-personal-challenges.aspx
Oglesby, L. W., Gallucci, A. R., & Wynveen, C. J. (2020). Athletic Trainer Burnout: A
Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Athletic Training, 55(4), 416–430. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-43-19
Olusoga, P., Bentzen, M., & Kentta, G. (2019). Coach Burnout: A Scoping Review.
International Sport Coaching Journal, 6(1), 42–62. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2017-0094
Olusoga, P., Butt, J., Hays, K., & Maynard, I. (2009). Stress in Elite Sports Coaching:
Identifying Stressors. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 21(4), 442–459. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200903222921
Olusoga, P., Butt, Joanne, Maynard, Ian, & and Hays, K. (2010). Stress and Coping: A Study of
World Class Coaches. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 22(3), 274–293. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413201003760968
Pilkington, V., Rice, S. M., Walton, C. C., Gwyther, K., Olive, L., Butterworth, M., Clements,
M., Cross, G., & Purcell, R. (2022). Prevalence and Correlates of Mental Health Symptoms and Well-Being Among Elite Sport Coaches and High-Performance Support Staff. Sports Medicine - Open, 8(1), 89. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-022-00479-y
Raedeke TD. Coach commitment and burnout: a one-year follow-up. J Appl Sport Psychol. (2004) 16(4):333–49. 10.1080/10413200490517995
Ren, X., Cai, Y., Wang, J. et al. A systematic review of parental burnout and related factors
among parents. BMC Public Health 24, 376 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024- 17829-y
Rynkiewicz KM, Eason CM, Singe SM. Collegiate Athletic Trainers' Experiences With Work-
Family Conflict and Work-Family Guilt Based Upon Organizational Factors. J Athl Train. 2022 Mar 1;57(3):240-247. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0697.20. PMID: 33787902; PMCID: PMC8935644.
Santi, G., Quartiroli, A., Costa, S., di Fronso, S., Montesano, C., Di Gruttola, F., Ciofi, E. G.,
Morgilli, L., & Bertollo, M. (2021). The Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Coaches’ Perception of Stress and Emotion Regulation Strategies. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.601743
Sas-Nowosielski, K., Szóstak, W., & Herman, E. (2018). What makes coaches burn out in their
job? Prevalance and correlates of coaches’ burnout in Poland. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 13(6), 874–882. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954118788539
Schaffran, P., Altfeld, S., & Kellmann, M. (2016). Burnout bei Trainern: Ein Review zu
Einflussfaktoren, Diagnostik und Interventionen. Deutsche Zeitschrift Für Sportmedizin, 2016(05), 12–125. https://doi.org/10.5960/dzsm.2016.232
Singe, S., Cairns, A., & Eason, C. (2025). The Relationships Between Perceived Stress, Burnout,
and Work-Family Conflict Among Athletic Trainers Working in Collegiate Sport. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.51221/sc.jiia.2025.18.1.4
Singe SM, Mydosh CG, Cairns A, Eason CM. Working Hours, Sleep, and Burnout Among
Athletic Trainers Employed in College Athletics: A Cross-Sectional Study. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2023 Dec 15;22(1), Article 9.
Snarr, R. L., & Beasley, V. L. (2022). Personal, Work-, and Client-Related Burnout Within
Strength and Conditioning Coaches and Personal Trainers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(2), e31–e40. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003956
Tashman, L. S., Tenenbaum, G., & Eklund, R. (2010). The effect of perceived stress on the
relationship between perfectionism and burnout in coaches. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 23(2), 195–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800802629922
Taylor, E. A., Huml, M. R., & Dixon, M. A. (2019). Workaholism in Sport: A Mediated Model
of Work–Family Conflict and Burnout. Journal of Sport Management, 33(4), 249–260. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2018-0248
Walton, C. C., Rice, S., Gao, C. X., Butterworth, M., Clements, M., & Purcell, R. (2021). Gender
differences in mental health symptoms and risk factors in Australian elite athletes. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000984
World Health Organization. (2019, May 28). Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International classification of diseases. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out/en/
Wright, S. A., Walker, L. F., & Hall, E. E. (2023). Effects of workplace stress, perceived stress,
and burnout on collegiate coach mental health outcomes. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5, 974267. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.974267
Young, N. E. (2023). African American Collegiate Coaches: Views of Seeking Mental Health
Treatment [Ph.D., Barry University]. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2915522966/abstract/63D0D443AFF34C27PQ/1
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Stephanie M. Singe, Scott Testori, Rachel S. Berkowsky, Christianne M. Eason
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright is held by the authors.
