The athlete burnout syndrome: possible early signs.

Burnout has been identified as a concern in elite sport. The aim of the current study was to examine relationships among proposed early signs and the athlete burnout syndrome. Quantitative methods (i.e., questionnaire) were used to identify the level of burnout and perceptions of proposed early signs among New Zealand male semi- and fully-professional Rugby Union players (n = 199) aged 19 to 33 years (M = 25.19, SD = 2.98). Results indicated significant associations among proposed early signs and athlete burnout. Perceptions of adequate social support, competence and perceptions of control were negatively correlated with key characteristics of burnout. Perceived rugby and money hassles were positively correlated with key characteristics of burnout. This research provides support for the proposed early signs of burnout. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and investigate the nature of the relationship between these early signs and the burnout syndrome.