PREVALENCE OF BURNOUT IN SOCCER ATHLETES OF THE UNDER-20 CATEGORY OVER A SPORTS SEASON

PREVALÊNCIA DO BURNOUT EM ATLETAS DE FUTEBOL DA CATEGORIA SUB-20 AO LONGO DE UMA TEMPORADA ESPORTIVA

ABSTRACT

The aims of the current study were: (a) to construct a reference table for burnout in soccer athletes of the U-20 category and (b) to verify the individual oscillations in the perception of these athletes in relation to burnout over three periods of the sports season. In total, 53 U-20 soccer athletes participated. The Athlete Burnout Questionnaire, Brazilian version, was applied to athletes during training, competition, and vacation periods of the sports season. A reference table was built for under-20 soccer athletes for each assessment period. Fluctuations were observed in the mean values of the total burnout frequency of the athletes during the 3 periods: training ($\overline{X}$=1.35 ± 0.13 and$\overline{X}$=2.11 ± 0.19), competition ($\overline{X}$=1.26 ± 0.13 and $\overline{X}$=2.27 ± 0.24), and vacation ($\overline{X}$=1.27 ± 0.14 and $\overline{X}$= 2.18 ± 0.28). Based on this table and the individual classification of each athlete, it was observed that 32 athletes presented fluctuations in the perception of burnout during the sports season and 21 athletes did not present fluctuations in feelings of burnout during the three evaluation periods. The period with the highest number of athletes (n = 17) with a high level of burnout was the training period. It is concluded that it is not possible to establish a single and collective behavior regarding the fluctuations in burnout levels in athletes of the U-20 category during a sports season, and that the category reference table contributes to greater accuracy of the burnout evaluation in each period in the season.

Key-words:
Professional exhaustion; Athlete; Sport Psychology

RESUMO

Os objetivos deste estudo foram (a) construir uma tabela de referência para o burnout em atletas de futebol da categoria sub-20 e (b) verificar as oscilações individuais na percepção destes atletas em relação ao burnout ao longo de três períodos da temporada esportiva. Participaram 53 atletas de futebol da categoria sub-20. Foi utilizado o Questionário de Burnout para Atleta nos períodos de treinamento, competição e férias durante uma temporada esportiva. Foi construída uma tabela de referência do burnout para atletas de futebol da categoria sub-20 para cada período avaliado. Foram encontradas oscilações nos valores médios da frequência do burnout total dos atletas durante os 3 períodos: treinamento($\overline{X}$=1,35±0,13 e$\overline{X}$=2,11±0,19), competição ($\overline{X}$=1,26±0,13 e $\overline{X}$=2,27±0,24) e férias ($\overline{X}$=1,27±0,14 e $\overline{X}$=2,18±0,28).Baseado na tabela de referência e na classificação individual de cada atleta observou-se que 32 atletas apresentaram oscilações na percepção de burnout durante a temporada esportiva e 21 atletas não apresentaram oscilações nos sentimentos de burnout ao longo dos 3 períodos de avaliação. O período que teve o maior número de atletas (n=17) com alto nível de burnout foi o de treinamento. Conclui-se que não é possível estabelecer um comportamento único e coletivo a respeito das oscilações dos níveis de burnout em atletas da categoria sub-20 durante uma temporada esportiva e que a tabela de referência da categoria contribui para uma maior acertibilidade da avaliação do burnout em cada período da temporada.

Palavras-chave:
Esgotamento profissional; Atleta; Psicologia do esporte

Introduction

The U-20 category of Brazilian soccer represents a defining moment for young athletes in their soccer career. Screening by a member of the coaching staff, especially the coach, can be decisive for the athlete's continuity or not in the training process in this category and consequently for the player’s professionalization. The pressure that athletes experience to maintain a high level of performance over a season is related to factors such as stress, anxiety, worries, and uncertainties about the future^1,2. All these factors make athletes more susceptible to the risk of manifesting burnout^1,2.

Burnout is understood as a process arising from excessive work demands and is strongly associated with human relationships^3,4. In the sports context, Raedeke⁵, and Raedeke and Smith⁶ define burnout from the dimensions of physical and emotional exhaustion, a reduced sense of sport achievement, and sport devaluation. The physical and emotional exhaustion dimension is associated with the intense demands of training and competitions, the reduced sense of sporting achievement is related to dissatisfaction with sporting skill and dexterity, and the sporting devaluation dimension is interpreted as a negative and indifferent attitude towards something important in a given domain⁶. Review studies demonstrate the growth in investigations in burnout syndrome in sport in recent years, especially in athletes^7-11, however the majority of these investigations are cross-sectional evaluations, with little information regarding longitudinal studies.

In the practical context, there are few reports on the incidence of burnout in athletes. An analysis based on statistical evidence showed that between 1% and 7% of elite athletes may suffer from high levels of burnout, while another 15% may have moderate symptoms¹². Gustafsson et al.¹³ also identified the incidence of burnout in young athletes and pointed out variation between 2% and 6% in burnout symptoms of male athletes. Male athletes in team sports have a higher frequency of negative feelings in the dimensions physical and emotional exhaustion and sports devaluation than individual sports athletes^12,13. Gustafsson et al.¹³ attributed some explanations for this issue to training overloads, emotional stress, relationship conflicts, and interest of male athletes in collective modalities. Analyzing each collective modality separately, there is a reduced amount of evidence from studies with soccer athletes in the process of sports training, which does not allow deeper analysis of this problem throughout a sports season^1,10,11.

Another gap found in this area of investigation is associated with the construction of specific reference tables by modality, sex, and age group. Currently, the burnout tables are generic, which often causes misinterpretation of an athlete’s feelings of burnout. An example of this type of evaluation is the study by De Francisco et al.¹⁴ which showed that approximately 55% of athletes had a low risk of burnout, 28.7% a moderate risk, and 12.7% a high risk of manifesting burnout. However, these analyses and risk classifications were made using generic tables and did not take into account the specificities and competitive and socio-cultural contexts of each of the modalities. Furthermore, according to the same authors, approximately 4% of the athletes in the evaluated sample suffered from burnout in the training period.

There is evidence that the incidence of burnout syndrome may vary depending on the sport^2,7,13, sex^2,7,13, age group⁷, and training volume² of the athlete and, given the lack of specific reference tables that consider these specificities, it is possible that there are problems of overestimated or underestimated assessments of the athletes' perception regarding the symptoms of burnout in performance sport¹¹.

In Brazil, Pires et al.¹⁵suggest that scores according to the Likert scale be used as references, for example, if an athlete obtains an average of 2.5 for the physical and emotional exhaustion dimension, it is considered that this individual frequently presents feelings related to this subscale of from rarely to sometimes. A review was recently carried out on the psychometric properties of the QBA¹⁶. Guedes and Souza¹⁶ confirmed the structure of the QBA to measure burnout in young athletes and indicated the need to establish burnout cut-off points for the classification of young athletes in different modalities and performance levels, aiming at a more reliable evaluation. Thus, one of the contributions of the currents study is to propose a reference table capable of more safely classifying the frequency of feelings of burnout in U-20 athletes in Brazilian soccer.

It is known that the manifestation of burnout in athletes has been identified as a dynamic process that fluctuates according to the demands of stress and pressure during a sports season^7,17,18. Lai and Wiggins¹⁹ compared the levels of this syndrome in soccer athletes aged 19 to 38 years over a sports season and found that the values of perception of burnout at the end of the season were higher than those obtained at the beginning. In Brazil, Bemfica et al.²⁰ evaluated the levels of burnout in male professional soccer players at two moments of the Brazilian Championship and identified a low and stable frequency of feelings regarding burnout at the beginning and end of this competition. Among the studies that investigated burnout longitudinally in athletes^18-23, few sought to verify the longitudinal oscillations of burnout in soccer^18-22, and there is a particular lack of information on athletes in training and from different base categories.

By monitoring and evaluating burnout longitudinally in young athletes in training, it will be possible to establish a parameter of behavior and oscillation in this syndrome throughout a sports season. In the base categories, vacation periods, training, and competition are marked by different demands and requirements during the athlete training process^16,20. This study intends to advance this discussion and contribute to the construction of a specific reference table to evaluate burnout in U-20 soccer players, as well as to verify individual fluctuations in burnout symptoms in athletes over three periods of the sports season (vacations, training, and competition).

Thus, the objectives of this study were: (a) to build a reference table for burnout in U-20 soccer players and (b) to verify individual fluctuations in these athletes' perception of burnout over three periods of a sports season.

Methods

Participants

A sample calculation was performed using the equation²⁴ $n=[\left(1-r²\right)x(t\alpha ;gl).²/r²]+2$, where: n = number of individuals, r = correlation, t = value found in the table t, α = level of significance, and gl = degrees of freedom, resulting in a minimum number of 45 soccer players in the U-20 category for the sample of this study. In total, 53 federated soccer players of the U-20 category participated in this study (mean age 19.20 ± 0.96 years; time of competitive experience 5.22 ± 2.47 years), born in five regions of Brazil. These athletes had work contracts with four soccer clubs in the A series of the Brazilian Championship and at the time of the study they were competing for the U-20 Brazilian Championship of the category for their respective associations. All 20 clubs that had the right to compete in this competition were invited to participate in the three phases of the study, but only 04 clubs (20%), 02 from the south region and 02 from the southeast region, agreed to release their athletes for this longitudinal evaluation throughout the sports season.

Instruments

The Burnout questionnaire for athletes (QBA) was used, validated for Brazilian athletes^15,16. The instrument is made up of three dimensions: physical and emotional exhaustion, reduced sense of sports achievement, and sports devaluation, evaluated through 15 questions, with question number 1 -“ I'm doing a lot of worthwhile things in sports” and question number 14-“ I feel successful in the sport” computed with inverted values. The QBA contains a Likert scale of 5 points varying from 0 (almost never) to 5 (almost always), and should be completed based on the situations experienced by the athlete. To calculate the total burnout score, the arithmetic mean of the responses attributed to each dimension of burnout is calculated. The overall internal reliability of the QBA was calculated by period: training α=0.70, competition α=0.70, and vacation α=0.74. In addition to this instrument, a demographic data questionnaire was applied during the 3 periods of the sports season (vacations, training, and competition) in order to collect information about the profile and characteristics of the sample.

Procedures

The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Federal University of Minas Gerais under number CAAE-29062614.0.0000.5149. The application of the QBA was carried out during three periods of the season (training, competition, and vacation) according to the national competitive calendar of U-20 soccer teams in 2014. The collections took place in reserved places in the training centers or in rooms/auditoriums of the hotels where the athletes were staying during the Brazilian U-20 Soccer Championship.

To analyze burnout over the course of a season, three collections were carried out, the first during the training period (August/September), the second during the Brazilian U-20 Soccer Championship (December), and the third after returning from vacation (February/ March).

The collection during the training period was characterized by the absence of official games and competitions. The goal of the athlete in this period was the training and development of technical, tactical, physical, and psychological skills. In total, 96 U-20 soccer players from four Brazilian A-series professional soccer clubs participated in this stage. The second collection took place the day before the last decisive game of the first phase of the Brazilian U-20 Championship and characterized the competitive period of this sample. In total 71 athletes were reassessed. The final collection was performed on the first day the athletes returned to the club after the vacation period. The vacation period of all athletes who participated in this collection varied from 15 to 30 days; on this occasion 53 athletes were evaluated. As an inclusion criterion to compose the sample of this study, only the 53 athletes who participated in all three collections denominated training, competition, and vacation were selected.

Statistical analysis

To analyze the overall internal consistency of the QBA instrument, Cronbach's alpha test was used. The normality of the data was verified by the Shapiro Wilk test. As the data collected did not present normal distribution (p=0.043), the Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman non-parametric tests were used.

For interpretation and evaluation of the burnout values of the study sample, a reference table was built and validated for each period (training, competition, and vacation) in which the values of frequency of feelings of total burnout presented by the athletes were grouped into three levels: low, moderate, and high. This grouping by level followed the recommendations established by Maslach and Jackson²⁵ and Gustafsson et al.¹³ In addition, to guarantee the differences between the classifications (low, moderate, and high) by period, the Kruskal-Wallis test was performed, with Bonferroni's post-hoc test, in order to verify whether the three created groups differed from each other.

After verifying the statistical differences between the classifications, a reference table was built with each of the 53 athletes being classified by period of the sports season in relation to their perception of sports burnout: high, moderate, and low.

Subsequently within each period, the number of athletes was transformed into percentage numbers (%). To compare the general distribution of the frequency of feelings of burnout at different periods of the season, the Friedman test (p <0.05) was used, with Dunn's post-hoc. The calculation of the effect size (ES, effect size) adopted for all comparisons was carried out following the recommendations of Field²⁶ with the ES reference values; small (≤0.3), medium (> 0.3 and <0.5), and large (≥0.5). All analyses were performed using SPSS® software (21.0) and the significance level adopted was 5%.

Results

Table 1 presents the reference values of the levels of frequency of feelings of burnout for Brazilian soccer athletes in the U-20 category. A significant difference was found between the values of frequency of feelings of burnout (low; moderate; high p = 0.001) for each period of the season.

A high effect size was identified for the observed differences, with the frequency of burnout feelings being classified as low and moderate (ES=0.87), low and high (ES=0.89), and moderate and high during the vacation period. (ES=0.74); low and moderate (ES=0.84), low and high (ES=0.91), moderate and high (ES=0.79) in the training period; and low and moderate (ES=0.87), low and high (ES=0.94), and moderate and high (ES=0.93) in the competition period.

Table 1
Reference table for the classification of Brazilian U-20 soccer players in relation to total burnout for vacation, training, and competition periods

	Training			Competition			Vacation
	Low	Moderate	High	Low	Moderate	High	Low	Moderate	High
BT	≤1.47*	>1.47 - <1.93*	≥1.93*	≤1.46*	>1.46 - <2.07*	≥2.07*	≤1.40*	>1.40 - <2.00*	≥2.00*
M	1.35	1.71	2.11	1.26	1.72	2.27	1.27	1.71	2.18
SD	0.13	0.10	0.19	0.13	0.13	0.24	0.14	0.11	0.28

• Note: Burnout total (BT); Mean (M); Standard Deviation (SD); (*) significant p≤ 0.05. The total burnout represents the construct in its entirety. The mean and standard deviation values are references of the analyzed sample and were used to calculate the effect size between the low, moderate, and high values of each period of the season.
• Source: The authors

According to the indicators in Table 1, the 53 athletes evaluated were classified according to levels of perception (high, moderate, and low) in each of the three periods of the sports season (training, competition, and vacation). Table 2 shows that the training period was the one with the highest number of athletes (n=17) with high levels of feelings of burnout.

Table 2 presents the classification and incidence of the frequency of feelings of burnout individualized for each athlete throughout the sports season. From the data, it is possible to analyze the number of times that each athlete presented low, moderate, or high levels of burnout in the three analyzed moments (training, competition, and vacation).

Table 2
Distribution of Brazilian soccer players in the U-20 category by levels and incidence of burnout throughout the sports season

Levels*	Training	Competition	Vacations	Incidence	Number of athlete
High	17 athletes	15 athletes	15 athletes	3	9,18,23,25,32,35,47
				2	1,15,22,24,28,42,50
				1	4,7,12,13,14,26,29,34,36,41, 45,51
Moderate	22 athletes	25 athletes	22 athletes	3	3,5,6,8,16,17,21,30,43
				2	4,7,12,13,14,29,34,36,40,44, 45, 46,48,51,53
				1	2,11,15,19,20,28,33,38,39, 42, 49,50
Low	14 athletes	13 athletes	16 athletes	3	10,27,31,37,52
				2	2,11,19,20,26,33,38,39,41,49
				1	1,22,24,40,44,46,48,53
Total	100% (53 athletes)	100% (53 athletes)	100% (53 athletes)

• Note: * Levels = classification of burnout according to the frequency table (low, moderate, high); * Incidence = number of times the athlete repeated that level of burnout throughout the season
• Source: Study data

Regarding the stability of the feelings of burnout throughout the sports season, it was observed that 21 athletes (39.62%) demonstrated stability in frequency of feelings of burnout throughout the season, that is, in the three evaluation periods (training, competition, and vacation) they maintained the same perception about their feelings, split into 07 athletes (13.20%) who maintained high levels of frequency of feelings; 09 athletes (16.98%) remained at moderate levels and 05 athletes (9.43%) remained at low levels.

Figure 1 presents, for periods of the season, the percentage of athletes who presented low, moderate, and high levels of frequency of feelings for burnout. Comparisons were made between the frequency of feelings of burnout and the periods of the sports season.

Figure 1
Percentage distribution of the frequency levels of burnout feelings of athletes by period of the season

It is observed that moderate levels of frequency of feelings of burnout were the most commonly reported by athletes during the three periods of the season. During the training period, moderate levels of burnout were more frequent in the perception of athletes than the frequency of high levels (p=0.001; ES=0.78 high) and low levels (p=0.001; ES=0.83 high).

In competition, the moderate frequency of feelings remained the most perceived among athletes, being significantly different from the incidence of the frequency of high (p=0.001; ES=0.82 high) and low frequency (p=0.006; ES=0.87 high).

In the basal period of return from vacation, the frequency of moderate feelings of burnout remained the most commonly perceived by athletes. Significant differences were found between moderate and high frequency levels (p=0.004; ES=0.78-high) and between moderate and low levels (p=0.012; ES=0.40 medium). It was observed that 90.53% (n=48) of the athletes presented high and moderate values of perception of burnout in at least one period of the sports season (Table 2). After the vacation period, 69.81% (n=37) of the athletes presented moderate or high values of frequency of feelings of burnout. This fact is alarming since the athletes are returning from a period of recess from sports activities in the clubs.

Discussion

The objectives of this study were to build a burnout reference table for U-20 soccer players and to verify the individual fluctuations in the perception of burnout of these athletes over three periods of the sports season. The construction of a specific reference table for the U-20 category of Brazilian soccer provides a more reliable analysis of the burnout of these athletes, with less interpretation error, in addition to being a low-cost tool, that is easy to apply and allows coaches and members from the technical commission to more accurately control the burnout indicators of the athletes in their squad throughout the season.

In Brazil, previous studies on burnout in soccer athletes did not use specific reference tables to assess the levels of frequency of feelings of burnout^18,20,21. In summary, the search for a specific reference table for a given category and sport modality contributes to a new level of scientific demand, precision, and reliability of burnout behaviors, as well as enabling a more rigorous and precise evaluation, which will result in more effective interventions with athletes by professionals.

In general, the results showed that during the soccer sports season, seven athletes (13.20%) presented high levels of frequency of feelings of burnout during the 3 periods evaluated (Table 2). When comparing this result with the few findings in the literature that analyzed burnout individually in athletes, it was observed that the results are very similar in relation to the percentage of athletes affected with high levels of burnout^21,27,28.

Pires et al²⁷ and Hill et al.²⁸ evaluated burnout in soccer athletes and indicated that although most of the athletes analyzed presented moderate to low levels for the dimensions of burnout, considering the values of the dimension Reduced Sense of Sports Achievement and Physical and Emotional Exhaustion, a small percentage of athletes could be exhibiting more extreme thoughts and feelings related to the syndrome. De Francisco et al.¹⁴ evaluated 442 athletes from 34 sports and indicated a mean level of frequency of feelings of 2.18 for total burnout and a percentage ranging from 3.4 to 3.8% of athletes manifesting the syndrome.

These data reinforce that the behavior of burnout needs to be assessed individually, especially in collective modalities, such as soccer, so that one does not make the mistake of neglecting athletes with high values of burnout and who need special and individualized attention to deal with the syndrome. Previous studies have pointed out that in collective team evaluations, athletes who are part of a group presented a higher risk of burnout during the base-professional transition period^13,29,30. High burnout indicators affect not only an athlete’s sports performance, but also other spheres of their personal and social life^5,22,31,32.

The results of the current study showed a percentage of 16.98% of athletes with moderate levels of frequency of feelings of burnout throughout the sports season (Table 2). The result reinforces that these individuals are not fully recovering from stress factors throughout the season and is an indication that stress, a fundamental variable for the emergence of burnout³², is being maintained in a chronic way.

In summary, in the current study it was identified that 30.18% of the soccer athletes evaluated in the U-20 category did not present oscillations and maintained high and moderate levels of burnout throughout the sports season. It should also be noted that all 04 teams participating in the study included athletes with high and moderate levels of burnout. These data allow us to infer that the problem is not located in one team, but in the entire U-20 category.

It is important to highlight that 9.43% of the soccer athletes remained stable with no oscillations throughout the season with low levels of frequency of feelings of burnout, indicating remote possibilities of manifestation of the syndrome. Evidence shows that low levels of burnout are associated with effective coping strategies^11,31,33, self-directed perfectionism^10,11, passion for sport¹⁰, and also for the ability of these individuals to deal with the stress, pressures, demands, and uncertainties existing in this category throughout the season, in relation to the final stage of promoting the base category towards the professional team.

According to the literature, athletes who fluctuate between high and moderate levels of burnout throughout the season may be involved with thoughts and feelings of uncertainty regarding their future and performance, frustration, demotivation, or lack of perception of success^6,18,29-31. In Brazilian soccer, the transition process from U-20 to professional athletes is very intense and difficult. Estimates point out that from a list of 30 athletes belonging to the U-20 category, between 1 and 3 athletes will have real chances of becoming professional in the team in which they trained. As shown by Soares et al.³⁴, in soccer, the desire for promotion in sport is more potent than the concrete opportunities offered, which increases the possibility of burnout due to problems such as the devaluation of sport and the reduced sense of sporting achievement.

This rigorous selection process in which most athletes do not receive the opportunity in the training club itself to pursue a professional career as a soccer athlete ends up producing countless frustrations and disappointments, both on and off the field, in the lives of these individuals. It also causes alterations in the personal, family, and professional lives of these athletes³⁰, as in many cases they will have to try to continue their sports career by looking for a new club, moving to another city, and moving away from family members and their social cycle. All of these factors combined contribute to a higher probability of manifestation of burnout^31-33,35, especially in the U-20 category, which is the last divider between amateurism and professionalization, which reinforces the need for individualized monitoring and the establishment of specific benchmarks for this category.

Only 5 athletes presented low levels of perception of burnout throughout the season, the other athletes evaluated showed moderate and high levels in at least one period of the sports season, which allows us to hypothesize that the vacation period was not enough for them to achieve full physiological, emotional, and social recovery. In addition to this process, in the U-20 category, there is uncertainty throughout the season as to whether the efforts made during training and matches will be sufficient for these young athletes to be approved and utilized in the professional category.

It is worth noting that in the training period the record with the highest percentage of athletes was 32.07% (17 soccer athletes) with high levels of frequency of feelings of burnout. The explanation for this problem may be related to the high demand from training loads in this period associated with excessive demands for the improvement of the athletes' performance by the members of the coaching staff. The probability that an athlete has high levels of burnout is associated with a conflicting relationship of expectations between what the athlete is able to produce with respect to the sport at that time, to the detriment of the needs and demands of the club and the coaching staff^10,31.

All these signs of burnout due to the training period are documented in the literature^11,13. During the training period, there will usually be an increase in the training load aiming to improve the athlete's technical, tactical, physical, and psychological skills, resulting in improvement in sports performance. However, the athlete is not always able to deal with all the psychophysiological and social demands of the training period and, when this occurs, it generates a feeling of fatigue and physical and emotional exhaustion in the athlete, aligned with the frustration of not being able to reach their goal, triggering symptoms of low self-esteem and a reduced sense of sports achievement²⁷.

Added to this is the fact that during the training period, especially in the U-20 category of soccer, the coach and entire technical team are closer to the athletes and in daily contact within the training center, since most athletes live on the club's premises and are invited to participate in training with the professional team, at which time they are evaluated both by the members of the technical committee of their respective category, as well as by members of the professional team. In summary, this is a period when they are in the training centers of their respective clubs, are required to give the maximum of their sports productivity, and are evaluated daily in training by different people who are responsible for defining the future of these athletes and their continuity or not in the club.

The increase in the frequency of feelings of burnout during the sports season, that is, the greater incidence of the syndrome during periods of training and competition, is also explained by the reason that the majority of these athletes have made numerous sacrifices regarding the aspects of leisure and social coexistence due to their sporting careers and the dream of becoming a professional soccer athlete^36,37. In Brazil, young people are often removed from their family relationships to live in training centers where they are also subjected to an intense training routine with strict schedules to wake up, sleep, and eat, which favors social isolation and little contact with other social groups outside the soccer environment^20,34,37.

Garcés de los Fayos and Mojena³⁸ showed that, especially during a competitive period, the relationship of chronic stress associated with the high number of competitions, trips, absence of family members, and strong pressure for victory can influence the increase in feelings related to physical and emotional exhaustion. These conditions are sources of stress that require large coping skills from athletes during the season^6,21.

Another finding that deserves attention in the current study is the percentage of 28.30% (15 athletes) who maintained high levels of frequency of feelings of burnout after the vacation period. Garcés de losFayos and Mojena³⁸ and Costa et al.³⁹ stated that the balance between training loads and athlete recovery is one of the ways to prevent burnout. Thus, it is possible to verify that for some of the athletes evaluated in the current study, the period of recovery from stress and pressure from the previous season was insufficient and they returned to activities partially recovered, a factor that may increase the risk of the manifestation of burnout in subsequent seasons.

Only 16 athletes (30.18%) in the study sample presented low frequency levels of feelings for the syndrome after the vacation period. It is speculated that in this period these athletes were able to recover physically and psychologically from all the wear and tear of the previous season. According to Kellmann et al.⁴⁰, since the problems of burnout syndrome are often related to an insufficient recovery process, it is necessary to insert biopsychosocial regenerative processes in training and competition periods.

Preventive measures could contribute to the reduction in burnout levels and also prevent other psychological problems such as depression and sports drop out^11,22. It is also important to have a rational structure of training throughout the sports season that allows athletes free time for leisure, social activities, school activities, and rest. This time works as a physical, mental, and social recovery mechanism that helps to prevent burnout³⁸.

The athlete's lack of contact with their family, especially parents and siblings, is also a factor that increases the likelihood of the appearance of burnout. In Brazil, the majority of the athletes who are staying and training in their respective clubs do not come from that city or state³⁴, since it is a country with continental dimensions and due to the sporting calendar, during a season athletes usually have few opportunities to live with their families. Information collected in the sample demographic questionnaire points out that some athletes spend more than six months of the year without having a physical encounter with their families. In addition, many athletes in this category are absent from school and end up having friendship relationships only with teammates³⁶. Thus, the vacation period is essential for the contact of these young people with their hometown, their family, friends, and people from their childhood and adolescence affective cycle.

It is worth mentioning, as limitations of this study, that the training, match, and recovery loads, as well as the activities that the athletes performed during the vacation period and in their free time during the training and competition periods were not controlled. Despite these limitations, the results of this study are pioneering and provide unprecedented information about the levels of frequency of feelings of burnout in U-20 soccer players. The reference table provides a practical contribution for coaches and fitness trainers who wish to monitor the burnout of their athletes during the season.

Conclusions

It is concluded that burnout is a dynamic syndrome that fluctuates between periods of training, competition, and vacation during a sports season for most soccer players in the U-20 category. It was also found that burnout affected each athlete differently. Some athletes demonstrated stable behaviors during the three monitoring phases while others showed fluctuating behaviors with a decrease or increase in burnout throughout the season. These conclusions reinforce a recommendation in the literature of the need to individualize the monitoring and control of burnout in athletes throughout their training process in the base categories, aiming to preserve the physical, mental, and social health of young athletes who are in the phase of human and sports development.

The reference table built specifically for the U-20 category in soccer is an advance that allows the identification of the burnout syndrome in this category in a more objective way. It is also noteworthy that it is a low-cost tool, which is easy to access and allows more reliable interpretation of the burnout levels of athletes throughout different moments of the sports season. This table also makes a practical contribution for professionals who work with soccer and who are co-responsible for the sporting and human formation of these young athletes.

Acknowledgements

Fapemig (Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais); PRPq (Pró Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação da UFMG)

References

• ¹
  Appleton PR, Hall HK, Hill AP. Relations between multidimensional perfectionism and burnout in junior-elite male athletes. Psychol Sport Exerc 2009;10(4):457-465. Doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2008.12.006
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2008.12.006
• ²
  Difiori JP, Benjamin HJ, Brenner JS, Gregory G, Jayanthi N, Landry GL, et al. Overuse injuries and burnout in youth sports: a position statement from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. British J Sport Med 2014;48:287-288. DOI:10.1136/bjsports-2013-093299
  » https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2013-093299
• ³
  Freudenberger HJ. Staff burn-out. J Social 1974;30(1):159-165. DOI:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1974.tb00706.x
  » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1974.tb00706.x
• ⁴
  Freudenberger HJ. The staff burn-out syndrome in alternative institutions. Psychotherapy: Theo, research pract 1975;12(1):73-82. DOI:10.1037/h0086411
  » https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086411
• ⁵
  Raedeke T. Is athlete burnout more than just stress? A sport commitment perspective. J Sport Exerc Psycho 1997;19(4):396-417. DOI:10.1123/jsep.19.4.396
  » https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.19.4.396
• ⁶
  Raedeke TD, Smith A. Development and preliminary validation of an athlete Burnout measure. J Sport Exerc Psycho 2001;23(4):281-306. DOI:10.1123/jsep.23.4.281
  » https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.23.4.281
• ⁷
  Goodger K,Gorely T, Lavallee D, Harwood C. Burnout in sport: A systematic review. The Sport Psycho 2007;21:127151. DOI:10.1123/tsp.21.2.127
  » https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.21.2.127
• ⁸
  Li C, Wang CJ, Kee YH. Burnout and its relations with basic psychological needs and motivation among athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psych Sport Exerc 2013;14(5):692-700. DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2013.04.009
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2013.04.009
• ⁹
  Gustafsson H, Hancock D, Côté J. Describing citation structures in sport burnout literature: A citation network analysis. Psych Sport Exerc 2014;15(6):620-626. DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.07.001
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.07.001
• ¹⁰
  Bicalho CCF, Costa VT. Burnout in elite athletes: a systematic review. CuadPsicoDeporte 2018;18(1):89-102.
• ¹¹
  Gustafsson H, DeFreese JD, Madigan DJ. Athlete burnout: review and recommendations CurrOpinPsychol 2017;16:109-113 DOI:10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.05.002.
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.05.002
• ¹²
  Gould D, Dieffenbach K. Overtraining, underrecovery, and burnout in sport. In: M Kellman, editor. Enhancing recovery: Preventing underperformance in athletes. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2002, p. 25-35.
• ¹³
  Gustafsson H, Kenttä G, Hassmén P, Lundovist C. Prevalence of burnout in adolescente competitive athletes. Sport Psycho 2007;21:31-37. DOI:10.1123/tsp.21.1.21
  » https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.21.1.21
• ¹⁴
  Francisco C, Fayos EJG, Arce C. Burnout endeportistas: prevalenciadel síndrome a través de dos medidas. CuadPsico Deporte 2014;14(1):29-38.
• ¹⁵
  Pires DA, Brandão MR, Silva CB. Validação do questionário de Burnout para atletas. RevEducFís UEM 2006;17(1):27-36.
• ¹⁶
  Guedes DP, Sousa RO. Propriedades psicométricas do Athlete Burnout Questionnaire para uso em atletas jovens Brasileiros. RevEducFís UEM 2016;27(1):1-13. DOI:10.4025/jphyseduc.v27i1.2708
  » https://doi.org/10.4025/jphyseduc.v27i1.2708
• ¹⁷
  Carlin M, Fayos EJG, Francisco CP. El síndrome de burnout endeportistas: nuevas perspectivas de investigación. Rev Ibero PsicEjerc Deporte 2012;7(1):33-49.
• ¹⁸
  Fagundes LHS, Noce F, Albuquerque MR, Andrade AGP, Costa VT. Can motivation and overtraining predict burnout in professional soccer athletes in different periods of the season? Int J Sports ExercPsyc 2019; 1-16.DOI:10.1080/1612197X.2019.1655778
  » https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2019.1655778
• ¹⁹
  Lai C, Wiggins MS. Burnout perceptions over time in NCAA division I soccer players. Internat Sport J 2003;7(2):120-127.
• ²⁰
  Bemfica TEB, Fagundes LHS, Pires DA, Costa VT. Efeito da temporada sobre a percepção da síndrome de burnout por atletas de futebol profissional. R BrasCi e Mov 2013;21(4):142-150. DOI:10.18511/0103-1716/rbcm.v21n4p142-150
  » https://doi.org/10.18511/0103-1716/rbcm.v21n4p142-150
• ²¹
  Verardi CELS, Nagamine AB, Carvalho KKT, Miyazaki MCOS. Burnout e enfrentamento em jogadores de futebol: Fases pré e durante competição. Rev Bras Med Esporte 2014; 20(4):272-275. DOI:10.1590/1517-86922014200401993
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/1517-86922014200401993
• ²²
  Adie JW, Duda JL, Ntoumanis N. Perceived coach-autonomy support, basic need satisfaction and the well-and ill-being of elite youth soccer players: A longitudinal investigation. Psych Sport Exerc 2012;13(1):51-59. DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2011.07.008
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2011.07.008
• ²³
  Pires DA, Debien PB, Coimbra DR, Ugrinowitsch H. Burnout e coping em atletas de voleibol: Uma análise longitudinal. RevBrasMed Esporte 2016;22(4):277-281. DOI:10.1590/1517-869220162204158756.
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/1517-869220162204158756
• ²⁴
  Callegari-Jacques SM. Bioestatística: Princípios e aplicações. Porto Alegre: Artmed;2007.
• ²⁵
  Maslach C, Jackson SE. Maslach burnout inventory manual. 3.ed. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press; 1981.
• ²⁶
  Field A. Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. 4.ed. Los Angeles: Sage; 2013.
• ²⁷
  Pires DA, Ferreira RW, Vasconcelos ASB, Penna EM. Dimensões de burnout, estratégias de coping e tempo de prática como atleta federado em jogadores profissionais de futebol. CuadPsicoDeporte 2019;19(2):175-185.
• ²⁸
  Hill AP, Hall HK, Appleton PR, Kozub SA. Perfectionism and burnout in junior elite soccer players: The mediating influence of unconditional self-acceptance. Psych Sport Exerc 2008;9(5):630-644. DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2007.09.004
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2007.09.004
• ²⁹
  Martínez-Alvarado JR, Guillén F, Feltz D. Athletes' motivational needs regarding burnout and engagement. RevPsicoldel Deporte 2016:25(1):65-71.
• ³⁰
  Chamorro JL, Sánchez-Oliva D, Amado Alonso D, Torregrosa M. El fútbol dentro del campo y fuera de él. RevPsicoldel Deporte 2016;25(1):81-89.
• ³¹
  Souza RO, Osiecki R, Silva JKF, Costa PL, Stefanello JMF. Analysis of psychological variables associated with the burnout syndrome and performance in adult athletes through the athlete burnout questionnaire - ABQ. J Phys Educ 2018; 29:e2928. DOI:10.4025/jphyseduc.v29i1.2928.
  » https://doi.org/10.4025/jphyseduc.v29i1.2928
• ³²
  Gerber M, Gustafsson H, Seelig H, Kellmann M, Ludyga S, Colledge F, et al. Usefulness of the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) as a screening tool for the detection of clinically relevant burnout symptoms among young elite athletes. Psych Sport Exerc 2018;39:104-113. DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.08.005
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.08.005
• ³³
  Madigan DJ, Rumbold JL, Gerber M, Nicholls AR. Coping tendencies and changes in athlete burnout over time. Psych Sport Exerc 2020;48:101666. DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101666
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101666
• ³⁴
  Soares AJG, Melo LBSD, Costa FRD, Bartholo TL, Bento JO. Jogadores de futebol no Brasil: mercado, formação de atletas e escola. RevBrasCienc Esporte 2011;33(4):905-921. DOI:10.1590/S0101-32892011000400008
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-32892011000400008
• ³⁵
  Pires DA, Santiago MLM, Samulski DM, Costa VT. A síndrome do Burnout no esporte brasileiro. J PhysEduc 2012;23:110-119. DOI:10.4025/reveducfisv23n1p131-139
  » https://doi.org/10.4025/reveducfisv23n1p131-139
• ³⁶
  Melo LBS, Soares AJG, Rocha HPA. Perfil educacional de atletas em formação no futebol no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. RevBrasEducFís Esporte 2014;28(4):617-628. DOI:10.1590/1807-55092014000400617
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-55092014000400617
• ³⁷
  Paoli PB, e Costa FR, Ferreira Neto A, Soares AJG. Representações identitárias no processo de seleção de talentos. Movimento 2010;16(4):135-150.Doi:10.22456/1982-8918.14510
  » https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.14510
• ³⁸
  FayosEJGR, Mojena GM. Principios básicos a aplicar eneldesarrollo de programas de intervención y prevenciónendeportistasconel síndrome de burnout. Propuestas desde una perspectiva transacional. RevPsicoldel Deporte 2002;11(2):259-267.
• ³⁹
  Costa VT, Pires DA, Ferreira Filho E,Noce F. Análise da síndrome de burnout em bailarinos. J Phys Educ 2014;25:161-173. DOI:10.4025/reveducfis.v25i2.23286
  » https://doi.org/10.4025/reveducfis.v25i2.23286
• ⁴⁰
  Kellmann M, Bertollo M, Bosquet L, Brink M, Coutts A, Duffield R, et al. Recovery and performance in sport: Consensus statement. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2018;13:240-245.DOI:10.1123/ijspp.2017-0759
  » https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2017-0759

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  28 Sept 2020
• Date of issue
  2020

History

• Received
  08 Mar 2019
• Reviewed
  08 May 2020
• Accepted
  12 May 2020