A Scoping Review of Athlete Burnout Among University Student-Athletes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17161/jis.v19i2.24228Keywords:
collegiate, coping, intercollegiate, mental health, stress, wellbeingAbstract
Participation in intercollegiate sport can foster a range of positive individual outcomes (e.g., growth, resilience development). However, research suggests the multitude of demands intercollegiate athletes need to balance (e.g., academic and sport-specific stressors) can also increase their susceptibility to burnout, which is characterized by reduced personal accomplishment, emotional and physical exhaustion, and a sense of sport devaluation. In this scoping review, we sought to identify with whom and how burnout has been studied, as well as summarize factors that have been found to be associated with burnout. Following a systematic literature search, 29 studies were included in the review, comprising 8,022 intercollegiate athletes (55% female). These studies were predominantly quantitative and cross-sectional (n = 22) in design, conducted in the United States (n = 15), examined participants from multiple sports (n = 25), and grounded in the conceptualization by Raedeke and Smith (2001;n = 24). The range of factors associated with burnout were organized into four categories: demographic influences (e.g., participant sex, academic year), personal characteristics (e.g., perfectionism, grit), psychosocial states (e.g., motivation, emotions), and interpersonal factors (e.g., social support, coach-athlete relationships). Limitations and current gaps in understanding are highlighted, which notably includes a general inability to identify the directionality of effects between burnout and its correlates. Such gaps give way to recommendations for future research in this area of work, such as examining the unique and independent (statistical) contribution of sport-specific stressors versus other types of stressors (e.g., academic, social, financial) to burnout experiences in intercollegiate athletes. Taken together, the findings from this review could help researchers and stakeholders (e.g., applied practitioners, athletics departments) develop interventions that support performance and wellbeing for this population.
Downloads
References
* Indicates study was included as part of the scoping review
*Chang, K. H., Lu, F. J. H., Chyi, T., Hsu, Y. W., Chan, S. W., & Wang, E. T. W. (2017). Examining the stress-burnout relationship: The mediating role of negative thoughts. PeerJ, 2017(12). https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4181
*Chang, W. H., Chi, L., Wu, C., & Chen, L. H. (2018). When does perceived coach autonomy support help reduce athlete burnout? The role of athletes’ experiential avoidance. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 6, 1-29.
*Chen, L. H. , Kee, Y. H. , Chen, M. Y. , & Tsai, Y. M. (2008). Relation of perfectionism with athletes’ burnout: Further examination. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 106, 811–820.
*Chiou, S. S., Hsu, Y., Chiu, Y. H., Chou, C. C., Gill, D. L., & Lu, F. J. (2020). Seeking positive strengths in buffering athletes’ life stress–burnout relationship: The moderating roles of athletic mental energy. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03007
*Cho, S., Choi, H., & Kim, Y. (2019). The relationship between perceived coaching behaviors, competitive trait anxiety, and athlete burnout: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16081424
*Chyi, T., Lu, F. J. H., Wang, E. T. W., Hsu, Y. W., & Chang, K. H. (2018). Prediction of life stress on athletes’ burnout: The dual role of perceived stress. PeerJ, 2018(1). https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4213
Colquhoun, H. L., Levac, D., O’Brien, K. K., Straus, S., Tricco, A. C., Perrier, L., Kastner, M., & Moher, D. (2014). Scoping reviews: Time for clarity in definition, methods, and reporting. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 67(12), 1291–1294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.03.013
Cresswell, S. L., & Eklund, R. C. (2006). The nature of player burnout in rugby: Key characteristics and attributions. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 18(3), 219–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200600830299
*Crowell, D., & Madigan, D. J. (2022). Perfectionistic concerns cognitions predict burnout in college athletes: A three-month longitudinal study. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20(2), 532–550. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2020.1869802
Cushman, S., & West, R. (2006). Precursors to college student burnout: Developing a typology of understanding. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 7(1), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/17459430600964638
Davis, D. E., Choe, E., Meyers, J., Wade, N., Varjas, K., Gifford, A., ... & Worthington Jr, E. L. (2016). Thankful for the little things: A meta-analysis of gratitude interventions. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(1), 20-31. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000107
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Plenum.
*DeFreese, J. D., & Smith, A. L. (2013). Teammate social support, burnout, and self-determined motivation in collegiate athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(2), 258–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2012.10.009
*DeFreese, J. D., & Smith, A. L. (2014). Athlete social support, negative social interactions, and psychological health across a competitive sport season. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 36(6), 619–630. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2014-0040
Difiori, J. P., Benjamin, H. J., Brenner, J., Gregory, A., Jayanthi, N., Landry, G. L., & Luke, A. (2014). Overuse injuries and burnout in youth sports: A position statement from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 24(1), 3–20. www.cjsportmed.com
*Dubuc-Charbonneau, N., & Durand-Bush, N. (2015). Moving to action: The effects of a self-regulation intervention on the stress, burnout, well-being, and self-regulation capacity levels of university student-athletes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 9(2), 173–192. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2014-0036
*Dubuc-Charbonneau, N., Durand-Bush, N., & Forneris, T. (2014). Exploring levels of student-athlete burnout at two Canadian universities. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 44 (2), 135-151. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v44i2.183864
Ferrari, M., Hunt, C., Harrysunker, A., Abbott, M. J., Beath, A. P., & Einstein, D. A. (2019). Self-compassion interventions and psychosocial outcomes: A meta-analysis of RCTs. Mindfulness, 10(8), 1455-1473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01134-6
*Gabana, N. T., Steinfeldt, J. A., Wong, Y. J., & Chung, Y. B. (2017). Gratitude, burnout, and sport satisfaction among college student-athletes: The mediating role of perceived social support. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 11(1), 14–33. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2016-0011
*Garinger, L. M., Chow, G. M., & Luzzeri, M. (2018). The effect of perceived stress and specialization on the relationship between perfectionism and burnout in collegiate athletes. Anxiety, Stress and Coping, 31(6), 714–727. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2018.1521514
*Giusti, N., Carder, S., Wolf, M., Vopat, L., Baker, J., Tarakemeh, A., Bal, K., Randall, J., & Vopat, B. (2022). A measure of burnout in current NCAA student-athletes. Kansas Journal of Medicine, 15(3), 325–330. https://doi.org/10.17161/kjm.vol15.17784
*Gotwals, J. K. (2011). Perfectionism and burnout within intercollegiate sport: A person-oriented approach. The Sport Psychologist, 25, 489–510.
*Gray, H. M., Moran, R. N., Elder, E., Wilkerson, A., Chaney, E., Gilmore-Childress, G., & Wallace, J. (2023). Grit, athlete burnout, and well-being in female collegiate student-athletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 58(10), 796–802. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0121.23
*Grobbelaar, H. W., Malan, D. D. J., Steyn, B. J. M., Ellis, S. M., & Malan, D. J. (2011). The relationship between burnout and mood state among student rugby union players. African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance, 17(4), 647–664.
Gustafsson, H., Hassmén, P., Kenttä, G., & Johansson, M. (2008). A qualitative analysis of burnout in elite Swedish athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 9(6), 800–816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2007.11.004
Hashem, Z., & Zeinoun, P. (2020). Self-compassion explains less burnout among healthcare professionals. Mindfulness, 11(11), 2542-2551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01469-5
Hill, A. P., & Curran, T. (2015). Multidimensional perfectionism and burnout: A meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 20(30), 269-288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868315596286
*Holden, S. L., Keshock, C. M., Forester, B. E., & Pugh, S. F. (2014). Athlete burnout: Is the type of sport a factor? The Sport Journal, 47, 1–6.
*Holmberg, P. M., & Sheridan, D. A. (2013). Self-determined motivation as a predictor of burnout among college athletes. The Sport Psychologist, 27(2), 177-187. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.27.2.177
*Howard, J. M., Nicholson, B. C., Madson, M. B., Mohn, R. S., & Bullock-Yowell, E. (2022). Exploring student-athlete grit as a mediator in the relationships between parenting, academic success, and mental health outcomes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 16(2), 109–129. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2020-0026
Hwang, S., & Choi, Y. (2016). Data mining in the exploration of stressors among NCAA student athletes. Psychological Reports, 119(3), 787–803. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294116674776
*Judge, L. W., Bell, R. J., Theodore, R., Simon, L., & Bellar, D. (2012). An exploratory examination of burnout in NCAA Division II athletes. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 5(2), https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.5.2.230
Lazarus, R. S. (1985). The psychology of stress and coping. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 7(1–4), 399–418.
Lazarus, R. S. (2000). How emotions influence performance in competitive sports. The Sport Psychologist, 14, 229–252.
Li, C., Wang, C. K. J., Pyun, D. Y., & Kee, Y. H. (2013). Burnout and its relations with basic psychological needs and motivation among athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14 (5), 692–700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2013.04.009
Li, C., Zhu, Y., Zhang, M., Gustafsson, H., & Chen, T. (2019). Mindfulness and athlete burnout: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(3), 449. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030449
Lin, C. H., Lu, F. J. H., Chen, T. W., & Hsu, Y. (2021). Relationship between athlete stress and burnout: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20(5), 1295–1315. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2021.1987503
Linden, B., Grey, S., & Stuart, H. (2018). National standard for the psychological health and safety of post-secondary students phase I: Scoping literature review. Mental Health Commission of Canada. https://www.athabascau.ca/support-services/_documents/psyc_safety_report_cdn_standards_students.pdf
Lonsdale, C., Hodge, K., & Rose, E. (2009). Athlete burnout in elite sport: A self-determination perspective. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27(8), 785–795. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410902929366
Lopes Dos Santos, M., Uftring, M., Stahl, C. A., Lockie, R. G., Alvar, B., Mann, J. B., & Dawes, J. J. (2020). Stress in academic and athletic performance in collegiate athletes: A narrative review of sources and monitoring strategies. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2(42), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.00042
López de Subijana, C., Barriopedro, M., & Conde, E. (2015). Supporting dual career in Spain: Elite athletes’ barriers to study. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21, 57–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.04.012
*Lu, F. J. H., Lee, W. P., Chang, Y. K., Chou, C. C., Hsu, Y. W., Lin, J. H., & Gill, D. L. (2016). Interaction of athletes’ resilience and coaches’ social support on the stress-burnout relationship: A conjunctive moderation perspective. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 22, 202–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.08.005
Mackinnon, S., Curtis, R., & O’Connor, R. (2022). Tutorial in longitudinal measurement invariance and cross-lagged panel models using Lavaan. Meta-Psychology, 6(2006). https://doi.org/10.15626/mp.2020.2595
Madrigal, L., & Robbins, J. E. (2020). Student-athlete stress: An examination in United States Collegiate Athletics. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, 14(2), 123–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/19357397.2020.1774261
Marangoni, L. S., Pottratz, S., & Boiangin, N. (2023). The impacts of burnout on athletic identity and attitude towards sport. Youth, 3, 1121–1136. https://doi.org/10.3390/youth3040071
Markati, A., Psychountaki, M., Kingston, K., Karteroliotis, K., & Apostolidis, N. (2019). Psychological and situational determinants of burnout in adolescent athletes. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 17(5), 521–536. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2017.1421680
*Mellano, K. T., Horn, T. S., & Mann, M. (2022). Examining links between coaching behaviors and collegiate athletes’ burnout levels using a longitudinal approach. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102189
*Pacewicz, C. E., Gotwals, J. K., & Blanton, J. E. (2018). Perfectionism, coping, and burnout among intercollegiate varsity athletes: A person-oriented investigation of group differences and mediation. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 35, 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.12.008
Pacewicz, C. E., Mellano, K. T., & Smith, A. L. (2019). A meta-analytic review of the relationship between social constructs and athlete burnout. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 43, 155–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.02.002
Paule, A. L., & Gilson, T. A. (2010). Current collegiate experiences of big-time, non-revenue, NCAA athletes. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 3(2), 333–347. https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.3.2.333
Peters, M. D. J., Marnie, C., Colquhoun, H., Garritty, C. M., Hempel, S., Horsley, T., Langlois, E. V., Lillie, E., O’Brien, K. K., Tunçalp, Ӧzge, Wilson, M. G., Zarin, W., & Tricco, A. C. (2021). Scoping reviews: Reinforcing and advancing the methodology and application. Systematic Reviews, 10, 236–6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01821-3
Pines, A. M. (1993). Burnout: An existential perspective. In W. B. Schaufeli, C. Maslach, & T. Marek (Eds.), Professional burnout: Recent developments in theory and research (pp. 33–51). Taylor & Francis.
Raedeke, T. D. (1997). Is athlete burnout more than just stress? A sport commitment perspective. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 19, 396–417. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.19.4.396
Raedeke, T. D., & Smith, A. L. (2001). Development and preliminary validation of an athlete burnout measure. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 23, 281–306. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.23.4.281
Rice, S. M., Purcell, R., De Silva, S., Mawren, D., McGorry, P. D., & Parker, A. G. (2016). The mental health of elite athletes: A narrative systematic review. Sports Medicine, 46, 1333–1353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0492-2
*Ruser, J. B., Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A., Gilbert, J. N., Gilbert, W., & Moore, S. D. (2021). Gratitude, coach–athlete relationships, and burnout in collegiate student-athletes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 15(1), 37–53. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2019-0021
Ryan, R., & Deci, E. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Sabiston, C. M., Vani, M., de Jonge, M., & Nesbitt, A. (2022). Scoping reviews and rapid reviews. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 15(1), 91–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2021.1964095
Salanova, M., Schaufeli, W., Martínez, I., & Bresó, E. (2010). How obstacles and facilitators predict academic performance: The mediating role of study burnout and engagement. Anxiety, Stress and Coping, 23(1), 53–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800802609965
*Saward, C., Harrison, D., Healy, L., & Sarkar, M. (2024). Motivational profiles and their relation to wellbeing, burnout, and drop-out intentions in university football players in the UK: A mixed methods approach. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102585
*Schellenberg, B. J. I., Gaudreau, P., & Crocker, P. R. E. (2013). Passion and coping: Relationships with changes in burnout and goal attainment in collegiate volleyball players. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 35, 270–280.
Smith, R. E. (1986). Toward a cognitive-affective model of athletic burnout. Journal of Sport Psychology, 8, 36–50.
Sorkkila, M., Tolvanen, A., Aunola, K., & Ryba, T. V. (2019). The role of resilience in student-athletes’ sport and school burnout and dropout: A longitudinal person-oriented study. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 29(7), 1059–1067. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13422
Tóth-Király, I., Morin, A. J. S., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2021). Reciprocal associations between burnout and depression: An 8-year longitudinal study. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 70(4), 1691–1727. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12295
Tricco, A. C., Lillie, E., Zarin, W., O’Brien, K., Colquhoun, H., Kastner, M., Levac, D., Ng, C., Sharpe, J. P., Wilson, K., Kenny, M., Warren, R., Wilson, C., Stelfox, H. T., & Straus, S. E. (2016). A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 16(15), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-016-0116-4
Tricco, A. C., Lillie, E., Zarin, W., O’Brien, K. K., Colquhoun, H., Levac, D., Moher, D., Peters, M. D. J., Horsley, T., Weeks, L., Hempel, S., Akl, E. A., Chang, C., McGowan, J., Stewart, L., Hartling, L., Aldcroft, A., Wilson, M. G., Garritty, C., … Straus, S. E. (2018). PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and explanation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(7), 467–473. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850
Watson, D. R., Hill, A. P., & Madigan, D. J. (2023). Psychological skills training and perfectionism: A single-subject multiple baseline study. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 35(5), 854–873. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2022.2137597
Wilczyńska, D., Qi, W., Jaenes, J. C., Alarcón, D., Arenilla, M. J., & Lipowski, M. (2022). Burnout and mental interventions among youth athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 10662. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710662
Woods, S., Dunne, S., Gallagher, P., & McNicholl, A. (2025). A systematic review of the factors associated with athlete burnout in team sports. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2022.2148225
*Yang, L., Zhang, Z., Zhang, J., & Veloo, A. (2024). The relationship between competitive anxiety and athlete burnout in college athlete: The mediating roles of competence and autonomy. BMC Psychology, 12, 396. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01888-2
*Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A., Ruser, J. B., Gabana, N. T., & Gilbert, J. N. (2022). Assessing burnout in subgroups of athletes based on gratitude and perceived coach-athlete relationship. Psychological Reports, 125(2), 964–985. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294121991837
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Katrina J. Waldhauser, Selina Chen, Stefanie Atkinson, Desmond McEwan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright is held by the authors.
