Burnout is a growing concern in many areas of life. This manuscript first outlines the history occupational burnout. Research as it pertains to burnout in sport is then discussed, with an emphasis on broad conceptual models of burnout. The rationale for the current study is then given. First, previous research as shown that the longer one has been on the job the greater the likelihood of burnout (Pines & Maslach, 1978; Mor & Lalibaerte, 1984; Turnipseed, 1994). Therefore, Hypothesis I was that seniors were more likely to experience burnout than freshmen. Second, Smith (1986) and Coakley (1992) have maintained that athletes participating in coacting sports are more likely to experience burnout than those in interacting sports. Hypothesis 2 tested this assertion. Third, the role of emotional affect and burnout was examined. Hypothesis 3 stated that athletes with high positive affect are more likely to have lower burnout scores, while those with high negative affect are more likely to have higher burnout scores. The present study examined burnout in college athletes (N=216). The Eades Athlete Burnout Inventory was used to measure burnout. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule was used to measure affect. Contrary to predictions, seniors reported lower burnout scores than any other year in school F (18, 580) = 1.67, p= .04. Also, there was no difference in burnout rates between coacting and interacting sports F (1, 213) = 1.96, p = .16. Finally, high positive affect scores were associated with low burnout scores E (1, 104) = 57.27, p <.001. Conversely, high negative affect scores were associated with high burnout scores F (1, 110) = 72.83, p < .001. The implications of these findings are also discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study was designed to investigate the potential differences In the level of developmental maturity among three groups of college students (athletes, former athletes, and nonathletes). An additional Inquiry was conducted to examine variations by sex within groups of athletes.The Student Developmental Task Inventory-2 (SDTI-2) was selected as the dependent measure for developmental maturity, and three research hypotheses were tested:1) Athletes will demonstrate the lowest levels of developmental maturity, with the former athletes at an Intermediate level, and the nonathletes having thehighest levels.2) Male athletes in revenue-producing sports (football and basketball) will score lower on measured levels of developmental maturity than males Innonrevenue-producing sports.3) Female athletes will be more advanced In developmental maturity than male athletes.The SDTI-2 was administered to 281 college students. A research survey obtaining objective data and subjective accounts regarding sport participation was administered as a means of categorizing the students Into the groups for comparison.Combined adjusted mean scores on Tasks One, Two, and Three of the SDTI-2 were used to examine hypothesis 1. The overall adjusted group means did not support hypothesis 1.Data from the SDTI-2 were analyzed by a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) which supported hypothesis 2 (f = 2.77, p<.04). Athletes in nonrevenue-producing sports were more advanced on Task One (Developing Autonomy) than athletes in revenue-producing sports.Data from the SDTI-2 were also analyzed by a MANOVA to test hypothesis 3. Results of the analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference between male and female athletes (f = 7.41, p<.01). Female athletes were more advanced on Task Three (Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships). Male and female athletes were further differentiated In terms of two subtasks. Females were more advanced In "Mature Relationships With Peers," and males were more advanced In "Appropriate Educational Plans.'These data denote that differences exist among the collegiate athletic population. The major implication being that the collegiate athletic population is variegated, demonstrating differing assets and needs regarding developmental task achievement. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Several studies conducted on home advantage in sport have focused on game location and performance outcome. The purpose of this study was to examine three components of home advantage, such as the effect that game location has on self-efficacy, a critical psychological state, and assertive play, a critical behavioral state. Participants (N = 21) from one mid-sized, midwest, Division I soccer program completed the Modified State Sport-Confidence Inventory (MSSCI) prior to six home conference games and six away conference games. In addition, all 12-conference games were observed and coded according to four assertive behaviors of soccer players. Data were analyzed using a permutation test and Spearman's Rho with a level of significance set at .05. Results indicated there was no significant difference in self-efficacy between home and away games and no significant difference in assertive play between home and away games. No significance relationship was found for self-efficacy and assertive play. Possible limitations along with recommendations for the future are discussed. / School of Physical Education

This study examined the relationship between coaching behaviors and traits and their impact on athlete motivation and affective learning in a collegiate coactive team setting. By conducting in-depth interviews with NCAA Division I men’s tennis players at a Midwestern, mid-sized University it was discovered that Coach Craig Keller’si credibility and caring behaviors had the most salient impact on athlete intrinsic motivation, his use of mild verbal aggression and his career record had the most salient impact on athlete extrinsic motivation, and his extreme verbal aggression and lack of feedback/praise significantly decreased their levels of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Moreover, the athletes noted that Coach’s credibility and caring behaviors increased their levels of affective learning, his will to win and desire to be professional increased affective learning through trait modeling, and his inability to follow through with claims decreased their affective learning. The most significant finding was that Coach’s dynamic leadership had the most positive impact on player intrinsic motivation while his mild verbal aggression had the most positive impact on player extrinsic motivation. However, it was discovered that this type of leadership ceased being motivational when the sentiment of the messages became negative and singled out individual players. / Department of Speech Communication

Athletes may be at increased risk for developing disordered eating and pathogenic weight control behaviors due to pressure for their bodies to look a certain way and perform at a high level (Sundgot-Borgen & Torstveit, 2004). Petrie and Greenleaf (2013) proposed a psychosocial model to explain the development of athletes’ disordered eating behaviors. Specifically, they suggested that unique weight/body pressures of the sport environment, general societal pressures about attractiveness, internalization of societal appearance ideals, body dissatisfaction, drive for muscularity, negative affect, and dietary restraint combine and contribute to the development of bulimic symptomatology. The aim of the current study is to test the Petrie and Greenleaf model in a large, nation-wide, diverse sample of male collegiate athletes. Participants were male collegiate athletes (N = 731; Mage = 19.91, SD = 1.50) representing 17 sports and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisions I, II, and III. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and measures designed to assess their experiences of the above constructs. Structural equation modeling was used to test the pathways proposed in the Petrie and Greenleaf (2013) etiological model. Results suggest that sport pressures, such as those from coaches and teammates about weight, the importance of appearance, and looking good in a uniform, are significant factors in understanding disordered eating among male collegiate athletes. These pressures were related directly to all other variables in the model, including increased body dissatisfaction, experiencing more negative emotions, restricting caloric intake, and engaging in behaviors to increase muscularity. In the end, it was these variables – negative affect, drive for muscularity, dietary restraint, and body dissatisfaction– that explained over 30% of the variance in the athletes’ bulimic symptomatology.

The present study was an attempt to provide data which would serve as a basis for distinguishing between group patterns of winning and losing basketball teams, in terms of personality profiles and interpersonal group structures.

The purpose of the present study was to examine goal setting strategies, locus of control beliefs and personality characteristics of swimmers (108 males and 111 females) from top twenty 1999 NCAA Division IA programs. Three questionnaires were completed: (a) Goal Setting in Sport Questionnaire (GSISQ: Weinberg, Burton, Yukelson, & Weigand, 1993), (b) the Internal, Powerful Others, Chance Scale (IPC: Levenson, 1973), and (c) the compliance subscale and six conscientiousness subscales from the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R: Costa & McCrae, 1985). Descriptive statistics from the GSISQ indicated that most of the swimmers set goals to improve overall performance (51%) and set moderately difficult goals (58%). Results associated with the IPC scale revealed that most of the swimmers attributed their sport performance to internal factors. Results pertaining to the NEO-PI-R indicated that most swimmers were highly conscientious, disciplined, purposeful, and determined.

The purposes of this study were to determine the adjustment of freshman athletes to intercollegiate athletics and to determine the validity of the Perceptions of Adjustment to Sports Questionnaire (PASQ), which was created for this research. The results of a pilot study that included 62 freshman intercollegiate athletes indicated that Rule 48 status, time of season, residence, interscholastic athletic experience, team cohesion, and revenue do not influence the adjustment of freshman athletes to intercollegiate sports (p < .05). Twelve panelists also rated the construct validity of the PASQ in a three-round Delphi study. The final version of the PASQ resulted in a 69-item, 8 sub scale instrument that measures freshman adjustment to intercollegiate athletics; however, additional research needs to be conducted to confirm its validity. Possible uses of the PASQ are to provide a foundation for counseling freshman intercollegiate athletes and to recognize freshman athletes at risk for psychiatric and physical health problems. / School of Physical Education

The relationship between hardiness, stress and burnout has been established in occupational settings (Kelley, 1994; Talarico, 1989; Topf, 1989). This relationship has not been established with athletic populations, however. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between personality hardiness, perceived stress and burnout in a selected sample of collegiate athletes. Participants were 181 male (n=129) and female (n_=52) Division I athletes from three Midwestern universities representing four sports (baseball, softball, tennis and track). Each subject was asked to complete a survey - consisting of the Third Generation Hardiness Test, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory - during the regular season and at least 24 hours prior to an athletic contest. It was hypothesized that hardier athletes would report lower levels of perceived stress and burnout, and that higher levels of stress would be related to higher levels of burnout. Pearson product-moment correlations supported the hypothesized relationships. / School of Physical Education

This study has examined the aspect of psychological care for the injured athlete at the Division 1A collegiate level. The specific areas examined were those of the mental impact of injury, services available, potential barriers, funding, and referrals. An additional aspect of this study that was examined was differences between conferences in the psychological care practices of the injured athlete. It was found that the largest barrier to successful psychological rehabilitation of the injured athlete was athlete compliance, despite support from others and available services. No significant differences were found to exist between conferences and the psychological care of the injured athlete. / School of Physical Education