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Review
. 2020 Mar 2;8(3):2325967120907579.
doi: 10.1177/2325967120907579. eCollection 2020 Mar.

Comparing Burnout in Sport-Specializing Versus Sport-Sampling Adolescent Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Nicolas E Giusti  1 , Seth L Carder  1 , Lisa Vopat  1 , Jordan Baker  1 , Armin Tarakemeh  1 , Bryan Vopat  1 , Mary K Mulcahey  2
Affiliations
Review

Comparing Burnout in Sport-Specializing Versus Sport-Sampling Adolescent Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Nicolas E Giusti et al. Orthop J Sports Med. .

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of adolescent athletes who specialize in sports has increased in recent years. Substantial literature on youth sports has linked early sport specialization to negative consequences, such as burnout and injury. However, empirical evidence directly comparing burnout rates in sport specialization versus sport sampling is very limited.

Purpose: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate psychological burnout in adolescent athletes who sport specialize compared with adolescent athletes who sport sample.

Study design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: A systematic review was performed through use of the PubMed, SportDiscus, PsychInfo, and CINAHL databases (between inception and May 2019) according to PRISMA-IPD (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of individual participant data) guidelines. Results from the 3 measures of the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire and athlete specialization status were recorded and analyzed. An athlete was determined to be a "sport specializer" if he or she met the following 3 criteria: (1) athletic participation limited to 1 sport, (2) which is competed in > 8 months in 1 year, and (3) to the exclusion of all other sports.

Results: Of 3578 studies, 8 met criteria for final meta-analysis, which included 1429 athletes (mean age, 15.59 years; range, 12.5-17.2 years). Of these, 1371 (95.9%) were sport specializers, whereas 58 (4.1%) were sport samplers. A total of 1422 (99.5%) athletes completed the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Athletes who specialized reported higher levels of burnout than athletes who did not specialize. Specializers had a greater sense of reduced accomplishment (difference of means [△], 0.87; 95% CI, 0.67-1.08; P < .01). Specializers also reported greater exhaustion (△, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24-0.68; P < .01) and sport devaluation (△, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.22-0.60; P < .01) than athletes who were samplers.

Conclusion: Adolescent sport specialization was associated with greater levels of burnout in all 3 aspects (reduced sense of accomplishment, sport devaluation, and exhaustion) compared with sport sampling.

Keywords: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire; adolescent burnout; pediatric sports medicine; sport sampling; sport specialization; sports burnout.

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Conflict of interest statement

One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: B.V. has received research support and consulting fees from DePuy, educational support from Smith & Nephew and Titan Surgical, and hospitality payments from Stryker. M.K.M. has received hospitality payments from Zimmer Biomet and Radius Health, speaking fees from Arthrex, and educational support from Alon Medical, Arthrex, and Quest Medical. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Items 1 and 14 are reverse scored. E, exhaustion; MOI, measure of interest; RA, reduced accomplishment; SD, sport devaluation.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Flow diagram for study selection following the PRISMA-IPD (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of individual participant data) guidelines. ABQ, Athlete Burnout Questionnaire.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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