Burnout syndrome according to psychological inflexibility in volleyball coaches

Burnout syndrome according to psychological inflexibility in volleyball coaches | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Short Report Burnout syndrome according to psychological inflexibility in volleyball coaches Félix Arbinaga, Isabel Díaz-Ceballos, José-Nicasio Gutiérrez-Fernández, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655911/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 26 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in Sport Sciences for Health → Version 1 posted 14 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study examined the relationship between psychological inflexibility and burnout in volleyball coaches. A total of 187 federated coaches participated (72.7% male). Psychological inflexibility was measured using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; burnout was assessed using the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Results showed no gender-based differences in psychological inflexibility clusters. However, female coaches were more likely to fall into high-burnout categories. Coaches with high psychological inflexibility reported significantly higher burnout scores, with an odds ratio of 4.328 for belonging to the high-burnout group. Neither coaching qualifications nor competitive level were associated with burnout. These findings highlight a significant link between inflexibility and burnout, underscoring the need for further research in sports settings. Burnout Psychological Inflexibility Mental Health Volleyball Coaches Introduction Sports coaches play multiple roles within team dynamics and are susceptible to psychological strain. Burnout and stress among coaches are well-established concerns in sport psychology. Burnout results from prolonged failure to manage work-related stress and is defined by three main components: emotional/physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and devaluation of sport. It can contribute to coaches leaving the profession, although its onset may be mitigated. Burnout conceptualized within a behavioral framework is closely tied to psychological flexibility, which holds clinical significance due to its potential for intervention. Psychological flexibility involves being present with internal experiences without avoidance, and acting in accordance with personal values despite discomfort. In contrast, psychological inflexibility refers to the rigid dominance of unhelpful internal experiences over meaningful actions. In sports, psychological inflexibility has been linked to increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and related issues [1]. Psychological inflexibility typically involves avoidance of aversive stimuli or situations, often expressed through rigid behavioral patterns that may lead to disengagement. This inflexibility is associated with less effective behavior and missed opportunities for optimal performance. This study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological inflexibility and burnout in volleyball coaches. We hypothesized that (a) women would report higher psychological inflexibility and (b) greater inflexibility would be associated with higher burnout. Methods Participants The sample consists of 187 volleyball coaches (72.7% male), with a mean age of 42.72 years (SD = 12.02), ranging from 20 to 77 years. Regarding coaching experience, the average tenure is 14.99 years (SD = 11.91), with a range from 3 to 52 years (Table 1). They report that they train on average 3.75 days (SD = 1.19) and 8.38 hours (SD = 5.31) per week. Instruments Data were collected on "sociodemographic variables". Coaching qualification: Level I : Required to coach teams in the infant and cadet categories; Level II : Required to coach teams in the youth and junior categories, or senior teams in National Phase of the Second Division; prerequisite: Level I qualification. Level III : Required to coach teams in the Honor Division, Superliga, and First Division; prerequisites: Level II qualification or express authorization by the Royal Spanish Volleyball Federation. Competition category of the team being coached. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) Spanish adaptation by Ruiz et al., [2] was used to assess psychological inflexibility. The test used in this study has shown high internal consistency (α = 0.91). Burnout was assessed using the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) Spanish adaptation by Pedrosa & García-Cueto [3], measuring three dimensions: emotional and physical exhaustion (EPE), reduced sense of accomplishment (RSA), and devaluation of sports practice (SD). Reliability coefficients were acceptable: total (α = 0.87), EPE (α = 0.87), RSA (α = 0.71), and SD (α = 0.82). Procedure This study employs a non-probabilistic sampling methodology with a cross-sectional, anonymous, and online design. The OMITTED FOR REVIEW Volleyball Federation and its Territorial Committees were contacted. Through its Training and Technical Department, the link to the questionnaires was sent to all active federated coaches, requesting their collaboration in completing the surveys. Data Analysis The following was carried out descriptive analyses were conducted to characterize the main research variables. The normality of the variables is confirmed when analysed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze variables that did not conform to normality. The reliability of the tests was calculated using Cronbach's alpha. The comparison of quantitative variables was carried out using the Student's t-test for independent groups. Cluster analysis was carried out when considering the grouping of participants on the variable psychological inflexibility for comparison on the basis of the dependent variables. In the case of quantitative variables with more than two categories, an ANOVA test was conducted, with Snedecor's F statistic and Bonferroni's post hoc tests. In the case of categorical variables, the Chi-Square test was used. Odds Ratios were calculated. Associations between the variables were analyzed by Pearson correlations. Analyses were conducted using the SPSS statistical package (IBM version 25.0, SPSS). Results Male coaches had more years of coaching experience (M = 16.18, SD = 12.70) than female coaches (M = 11.80, SD = 8.82), t = 2.265, p = .025. Men also coached more days (M = 3.94, SD = 1.17 vs. M = 3.24, SD = 1.07), t = 3.753, p < .001, and more hours per week (M = 9.02, SD = 5.70 vs. M = 6.66, SD = 3.34), t = 2.761, p = .006. Based on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, psychological inflexibility (Z = 1.096, p = .181), ABQ-Total (Z = 1.181, p = .123), EPE (Z = 1.346, p = .053), and RSA (Z = 1.214, p = .105) followed a normal distribution, while SD did not (Z = 1.873, p = .002). As shown in Table 1, women were more likely to hold a Level I qualification, whereas men commonly held Level III. Additionally, women typically lacked a technical support team, unlike their male counterparts. -------------------------- Table 1 -------------------------- There were no significant differences in the distribution of coaches based on the competitive category of their teams or the presence of an assistant coach. Although women scored higher on psychological inflexibility, no significant differences emerged when categorized into high or low-inflexibility groups. Regarding burnout, the only gender-based difference appeared in the reduced sense of accomplishment subscale. When grouped by burnout level, women were more likely to fall into the high-burnout category, whereas men were more often in the low-burnout group. -------------------------- Table 2 -------------------------- Coaches in Cluster 1, characterized by high psychological inflexibility, reported significantly higher burnout scores, with a medium effect size. Those with high burnout scores were 4.328 times more likely to belong to the high inflexibility group (OR = 4.328, 95% CI [2.293, 8.168]) compared to those with low burnout. Burnout scores did not differ significantly by degree level: ABQ-Total ( F (2,186) = 0.629, p = .534), EPE ( F (2,186) = 0.004, p = .996), RSA ( F (2,186) = 1.790, p = .170), and SD ( F (2,186) = 1.423, p = .244). Similarly, no significant differences were found based on the competitive category of the team: ABQ-Total ( F (2,186) = 1.508, p = .224), EPE ( F (2,186) = 2.258, p = .107), RSA ( F (2,186) = 0.364, p = .695), and SD ( F (2,186) = 1.195, p = .305). Discussion This study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological inflexibility and burnout. The first hypothesis predicted that women would report higher levels of psychological inflexibility. This was supported by the data and is consistent with prior research [1]. However, when categorized by high and low levels of inflexibility, both genders were similarly distributed. Regarding burnout, no significant gender differences were found overall, except in the subscale of reduced sense of accomplishment. Notably, female coaches were more likely to be in the high-burnout group. The second hypothesis -that coaches with higher psychological inflexibility would report higher levels of burnout- was also supported. While research on this association in sports is lacking, evidence from healthcare contexts shows that greater psychological inflexibility is linked to higher burnout [4] and predicts burnout and psychological distress in nurses. Additionally, experiential avoidance has been found to explain 28-48% of the variance in psychological symptoms, further supporting the notion that psychological flexibility plays a central role in mental health [5]. Conclusion This study concludes that burnout syndrome is closely linked to psychological inflexibility. Individuals with higher levels of burnout are more likely to rely on rigid, ineffective coping strategies. Given the limited research connecting these constructs in the sports context, further studies are needed. Importantly, both burnout and psychological inflexibility are modifiable, highlighting the potential for targeted interventions to improve coaches’ mental health and performance. Declarations Availability of data. Data are available on the open science framework OMITTED FOR REVIEW Conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest. Funding: OMITTED FOR REVIEW This work has been funded in part by the EPIT-UHU support to the CTS-980 Research Group. Institutional Review Board Statement: OMITTED FOR REVIEW Institutional Review Board Statement: All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975, revised in 2013. Approved by the Andalusian Ethics Committee of Biomedical Approved by the Andalusian Ethics Committee of Biomedical Research (Evaluation Committee of Huelva. Act: 05/24. Date of approval:14-May-2024, Internal Code: SICEIA-2024-001020, Study code: 21071. Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Data Availability Statement: All anonymized raw participant data are openly available in the Open Science Framework -OSF- (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/HGDK3) (https://osf.io/hgdk3/?view_only=2370bbe03a4b456a9feb5b8632f4f8a0). Conflicts of Interest: The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. References Arbinaga F (2025) Pain catastrophizing related to psychological inflexibility, self-reported injuries and perfectionism in soccer referees. J Sci Sport Exerc 7(1),84–96 https://do.org/10.1007/s42978-023-00234-z Ruiz FJ, Langer A, Luciano C et al (2013) Measuring experiential avoidance and psychological inflexibility: The Spanish version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II. Psicothema 25(1),123–129. Pedrosa I, García-Cueto E (2012) Spanish adaptation of the athlete burnout questionnaire (ABQ) in a Spanish sample of athletes. Ansiedad y Estrés, 18(2–3), 155–166. Jiménez-Fernández R, Corral-Liria I, Trevissón-Redondo B, et al (2022) Burnout, resilience and psychological flexibility in frontline nurses during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) in Madrid, Spain. J Nurs Manag 30(7),2549–2556. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13778 Sairanen E, Lappalainen P, Hiltunen A (2018) Psychological inflexibility explains distress in parents whose children have chronic conditions. PLoS One 25;13(7):e0201155. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201155 Tables Table 1.- Characteristics of the sample according to gender of the volleyball coaches Total 187 Man 136(72.7) Woman 51(27.3) p Coaching Qualification: χ 2 (2,187) = 10.097 .006 Level I 27(14.4) 13(9.6) 14(27.5) Level II 78(41.7) 58(42.6) 20(39.2) Level III 82(43.9) 65(47.8) 17(33.3) Category trained χ 2 (2,187) = 4.321 .115 Provincial 73(39.0) 47(34.6) 56(51.0) Regional 72(38.5) 57(41.9) 15(29.4) National-International 42(22.5) 32(23.5) 10(19.6) Assistant Coach χ 2 = 0.419 .517 Yes 79(46.7) 58(48.3) 21(42.9) No 90(53.3) 62(51.7) 28(57.1) Technical Team χ 2 = 6.022 .014 Yes 62(36.7) 51(42.5) 11(22.4) No 107(63.3) 69(57.5) 38(77.6) AAQ-II-TOTAL 18.46(8.16) 17.65(7.91) 20.61(8.51) t = 2.227 .027 CLUSTER- AAQ-II χ 2 (1,187) = 3.109 .078 High AAQ-II 69(36.9) 45(33.1) 24(47.1) Low AAQ-II 118(63.1) 91(66.9) 27(52.9) ABQ-TOTAL 10.897(3.49) 10.623(3.33) 11.627(3.82) t = 1.765 .079 ABQ-AFE 11.70(4.37) 11.39(4.25) 12.53(4.62) t = 1.594 .113 ABQ-RSL 11.12(3.96) 10.76(3.73) 12.06(4.39) t = 2.008 .046 ABQ-DPD 9.87(4.45) 9.71(4.36) 10.29(4.72) Z = - 0.637 .524 CLUSTER-ABQ χ 2 (1,187) = 4.650 .031 High ABQ 86(46.0) 56(41.2) 30(46.0) Low ABQ 101(54.0) 80(58.8) 21(41.2) Note: For quantitative variables M(SD) and categorical variables n(%). Z: U Mann-Whitney; AAQ-II: Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; ABQ: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire; ABQ-AFE: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire-physical/emotional exhaustion; ABQ-RSL: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire-reduced sense of achievement; ABQ-DPD: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire- devaluation of sports practice. Table 2.- Scores on the ABQ Burnout test according to high/low Psychological Inflexibility grouping. CLUSTER 1 High AAQ-II CLUSTER 2 Low AAQ-II t p Cohen's d ABQ-TOTAL 12.34(3.14) 10.05(3.41) 4.546 <.001 0.70 ABQ-AFE 13.35(4.13) 10.74(4.24) 4.104 <.001 0.63 ABQ-RSL 12.46(3.60) 10.33(3.96) 3.676 <.001 0.56 ABQ-DPD 11.20(4.11) 9.09(4.47) Z = - 3.897 <.120 0.49 CLUSTER-ABQ χ 2 (1,187) = 21.553 <.001 Phi = 0.339 High ABQ 47(68.1) 39(33.1) Low ABQ 22(31.9) 79(66.9) Note: For quantitative variables M(SD) and categorical variables n(%). Z: U Mann-Whitney; AAQ-II: Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; ABQ: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire; ABQ-AFE: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire-physical/emotional exhaustion; ABQ-RSL: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire- reduced sense of achievement; ABQ-DPD: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire- devaluation of sports practice. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 26 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in Sport Sciences for Health → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 14 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 14 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 12 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 09 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 10 Nov, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 16 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 15 May, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 15 May, 2025 First submitted to journal 13 May, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6655911","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Short Report","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":517145720,"identity":"f292c2b4-aec1-4e07-bdb3-97c598ccdc4b","order_by":0,"name":"Félix Arbinaga","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"University of Huelva","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Félix","middleName":"","lastName":"Arbinaga","suffix":""},{"id":517145721,"identity":"1e0242fb-6c75-4d68-96bf-ba7c7cabaf6e","order_by":1,"name":"Isabel Díaz-Ceballos","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Gimbernat University Schools","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Isabel","middleName":"","lastName":"Díaz-Ceballos","suffix":""},{"id":517145722,"identity":"c27f090a-b641-445f-af91-7b8975ce621c","order_by":2,"name":"José-Nicasio Gutiérrez-Fernández","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National University of Distance Education","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"José-Nicasio","middleName":"","lastName":"Gutiérrez-Fernández","suffix":""},{"id":517145723,"identity":"5600f3e4-b2ab-4ccf-a557-43b012b11f6e","order_by":3,"name":"Joaquín Díaz-Rodriguez","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Cantabrian Association of Sport Psychology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Joaquín","middleName":"","lastName":"Díaz-Rodriguez","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-05-13 13:23:29","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655911/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655911/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-026-01693-x","type":"published","date":"2026-02-26T15:57:40+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":92245554,"identity":"1c37dc00-8c8c-4391-b753-70dfe50d906c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-26 09:35:34","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":25593,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"1.ARTISSHCOACHBURN.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6655911/v1/5bf85c9034384a16b9e8a66a.docx"},{"id":92244209,"identity":"28400928-bce4-4d04-9e34-09844ba9a642","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-26 09:19:34","extension":"json","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":5462,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"55e37b0ec8c04087a20b551b6ef5525c.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6655911/v1/005029553ab4b2aedc16e696.json"},{"id":92244210,"identity":"a434cd1f-d64d-4a82-af6d-ee8c2eebb915","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-26 09:19:34","extension":"xml","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":51045,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"55e37b0ec8c04087a20b551b6ef5525c1enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6655911/v1/eafbe8cf21e4dcf2b5769e2e.xml"},{"id":92245253,"identity":"4a1fe954-7ffb-4122-a582-69ddb982648f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-26 09:27:34","extension":"xml","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":49861,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"55e37b0ec8c04087a20b551b6ef5525c1structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6655911/v1/f7aae9ee79c910aa1eb94ad2.xml"},{"id":92244213,"identity":"8bfe9ad5-e4e1-4f0d-82ba-965c767d3826","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-26 09:19:34","extension":"html","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":57187,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6655911/v1/4ec266e0dba689c751984fab.html"},{"id":103765558,"identity":"4423765f-94dd-4a26-8241-bc3198e81341","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-02 16:04:21","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":522972,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6655911/v1/a6f85155-8d94-4662-87c2-f0cded75b4e5.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Burnout syndrome according to psychological inflexibility in volleyball coaches","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eSports coaches play multiple roles within team dynamics and are susceptible to psychological strain. Burnout and stress among coaches are well-established concerns in sport psychology. Burnout results from prolonged failure to manage work-related stress and is defined by three main components: emotional/physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and devaluation of sport. It can contribute to coaches leaving the profession, although its onset may be mitigated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBurnout conceptualized within a behavioral framework is closely tied to psychological flexibility, which holds clinical significance due to its potential for intervention. Psychological flexibility involves being present with internal experiences without avoidance, and acting in accordance with personal values despite discomfort. In contrast, psychological inflexibility refers to the rigid dominance of unhelpful internal experiences over meaningful actions. In sports, psychological inflexibility has been linked to increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and related issues [1]. Psychological inflexibility typically involves avoidance of aversive stimuli or situations, often expressed through rigid behavioral patterns that may lead to disengagement. This inflexibility is associated with less effective behavior and missed opportunities for optimal performance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological inflexibility and burnout in volleyball coaches. We hypothesized that (a) women would report higher psychological inflexibility and (b) greater inflexibility would be associated with higher burnout.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParticipants\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sample consists of 187 volleyball coaches (72.7% male), with a mean age of 42.72 years (SD = 12.02), ranging from 20 to 77 years. Regarding coaching experience, the average tenure is 14.99 years (SD = 11.91), with a range from 3 to 52 years (Table 1). They report that they train on average 3.75 days (SD = 1.19) and 8.38 hours (SD = 5.31) per week.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstruments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData were collected on \"sociodemographic variables\". Coaching qualification: \u003cem\u003eLevel I\u003c/em\u003e: Required to coach teams in the infant and cadet categories; \u003cem\u003eLevel II\u003c/em\u003e: Required to coach teams in the youth and junior categories, or senior teams in National Phase of the Second Division; prerequisite: Level I qualification. \u003cem\u003eLevel III\u003c/em\u003e: Required to coach teams in the Honor Division, Superliga, and First Division; prerequisites: Level II qualification or express authorization by the Royal Spanish Volleyball Federation. Competition category of the team being coached.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II)\u0026nbsp;Spanish adaptation by Ruiz et al., [2]\u0026nbsp;was used to assess psychological inflexibility. The test used in this study has shown high internal consistency (α = 0.91).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBurnout was assessed using the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) Spanish adaptation by Pedrosa \u0026amp; García-Cueto [3], measuring three dimensions: emotional and physical exhaustion (EPE), reduced sense of accomplishment (RSA), and devaluation of sports practice (SD). Reliability coefficients were acceptable: total (α = 0.87), EPE (α = 0.87), RSA (α = 0.71), and SD (α = 0.82).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcedure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study employs a non-probabilistic sampling methodology with a cross-sectional, anonymous, and online design. The \u003cstrong\u003eOMITTED FOR REVIEW\u003c/strong\u003e Volleyball Federation and its Territorial Committees were contacted. Through its Training and Technical Department, the link to the questionnaires was sent to all active federated coaches, requesting their collaboration in completing the surveys.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following was carried out descriptive analyses were conducted to characterize the main research variables. The normality of the variables is confirmed when analysed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze variables that did not conform to normality. The reliability of the tests was calculated using Cronbach's alpha. The comparison of quantitative variables was carried out using the Student's t-test for independent groups. Cluster analysis was carried out when considering the grouping of participants on the variable psychological inflexibility for comparison on the basis of the dependent variables. In the case of quantitative variables with more than two categories, an ANOVA test was conducted, with Snedecor's \u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e statistic and Bonferroni's post hoc tests. In the case of categorical variables, the Chi-Square test was used. Odds Ratios were calculated. Associations between the variables were analyzed by Pearson correlations. Analyses were conducted using the SPSS statistical package (IBM version 25.0, SPSS).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eMale coaches had more years of coaching experience (M = 16.18, SD = 12.70) than female coaches (M = 11.80, SD = 8.82), \u003cem\u003et\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= 2.265, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .025. Men also coached more days (M = 3.94, SD = 1.17 vs. M = 3.24, SD = 1.07), \u003cem\u003et\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= 3.753, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; .001, and more hours per week (M = 9.02, SD = 5.70 vs. M = 6.66, SD = 3.34), \u003cem\u003et\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= 2.761, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .006.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, psychological inflexibility (Z = 1.096, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .181), ABQ-Total (Z = 1.181, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .123), EPE (Z = 1.346, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .053), and RSA (Z = 1.214, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .105) followed a normal distribution, while SD did not (Z = 1.873, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .002).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table 1, women were more likely to hold a Level I qualification, whereas men commonly held Level III. Additionally, women typically lacked a technical support team, unlike their male counterparts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--------------------------\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--------------------------\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were no significant differences in the distribution of coaches based on the competitive category of their teams or the presence of an assistant coach. Although women scored higher on psychological inflexibility, no significant differences emerged when categorized into high or low-inflexibility groups. Regarding burnout, the only gender-based difference appeared in the reduced sense of accomplishment subscale. When grouped by burnout level, women were more likely to fall into the high-burnout category, whereas men were more often in the low-burnout group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--------------------------\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 2\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--------------------------\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCoaches in Cluster 1, characterized by high psychological inflexibility, reported significantly higher burnout scores, with a medium effect size. Those with high burnout scores were 4.328 times more likely to belong to the high inflexibility group (OR = 4.328, 95% CI [2.293, 8.168]) compared to those with low burnout.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBurnout scores did not differ significantly by degree level: ABQ-Total (\u003cem\u003eF\u003csub\u003e(2,186)\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e = 0.629, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .534), EPE (\u003cem\u003eF\u003csub\u003e(2,186)\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e = 0.004, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .996), RSA (\u003cem\u003eF\u003csub\u003e(2,186)\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e = 1.790, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .170), and SD (\u003cem\u003eF\u003csub\u003e(2,186)\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= 1.423, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .244). Similarly, no significant differences were found based on the competitive category of the team: ABQ-Total (\u003cem\u003eF\u003csub\u003e(2,186)\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e = 1.508, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .224), EPE (\u003cem\u003eF\u003csub\u003e(2,186)\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e = 2.258, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .107), RSA (\u003cem\u003eF\u003csub\u003e(2,186)\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e = 0.364, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .695), and SD (\u003cem\u003eF\u003csub\u003e(2,186)\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e = 1.195, \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .305).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological inflexibility and burnout. The first hypothesis predicted that women would report higher levels of psychological inflexibility. This was supported by the data and is consistent with prior research [1]. However, when categorized by high and low levels of inflexibility, both genders were similarly distributed. Regarding burnout, no significant gender differences were found overall, except in the subscale of reduced sense of accomplishment. Notably, female coaches were more likely to be in the high-burnout group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second hypothesis -that coaches with higher psychological inflexibility would report higher levels of burnout- was also supported. While research on this association in sports is lacking, evidence from healthcare contexts shows that greater psychological inflexibility is linked to higher burnout [4] and predicts burnout and psychological distress in nurses. Additionally, experiential avoidance has been found to explain 28-48% of the variance in psychological symptoms, further supporting the notion that psychological flexibility plays a central role in mental health [5].\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study concludes that burnout syndrome is closely linked to psychological inflexibility. Individuals with higher levels of burnout are more likely to rely on rigid, ineffective coping strategies. Given the limited research connecting these constructs in the sports context, further studies are needed. Importantly, both burnout and psychological inflexibility are modifiable, highlighting the potential for targeted interventions to improve coaches’ mental health and performance.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eData are available on the open science framework\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003eOMITTED FOR REVIEW\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflicting interests:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding: OMITTED FOR REVIEW\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work has been funded in part by the EPIT-UHU support to the CTS-980 Research Group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstitutional Review Board Statement: OMITTED FOR REVIEW\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstitutional Review Board Statement:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eAll procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975, revised in 2013. Approved by the Andalusian Ethics Committee of Biomedical Approved by the Andalusian Ethics Committee of Biomedical Research (Evaluation Committee of Huelva. Act: 05/24. Date of approval:14-May-2024, Internal Code: SICEIA-2024-001020, Study code: 21071.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformed Consent Statement:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eInformed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Statement:\u003c/strong\u003e All anonymized raw participant data are openly available in the Open Science Framework -OSF- (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/HGDK3) (https://osf.io/hgdk3/?view_only=2370bbe03a4b456a9feb5b8632f4f8a0).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflicts of Interest:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArbinaga F (2025) Pain catastrophizing related to psychological inflexibility, self-reported injuries and perfectionism in soccer referees. J Sci Sport Exerc 7(1),84\u0026ndash;96 \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://do.org/10.1007/s42978-023-00234-z\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://do.10.1007/s42978-023-00234-z\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRuiz FJ, Langer A, Luciano C et al (2013) Measuring experiential avoidance and psychological inflexibility: The Spanish version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II. Psicothema 25(1),123\u0026ndash;129.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePedrosa I, Garc\u0026iacute;a-Cueto E (2012) Spanish adaptation of the athlete burnout questionnaire (ABQ) in a Spanish sample of athletes. Ansiedad y Estr\u0026eacute;s, 18(2\u0026ndash;3), 155\u0026ndash;166.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJim\u0026eacute;nez-Fern\u0026aacute;ndez R, Corral-Liria I, Treviss\u0026oacute;n-Redondo B, et al (2022) Burnout, resilience and psychological flexibility in frontline nurses during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) in Madrid, Spain. J Nurs Manag 30(7),2549\u0026ndash;2556. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13778\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1111/jonm.13778\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSairanen E, Lappalainen P, Hiltunen A (2018) Psychological inflexibility explains distress in parents whose children have chronic conditions. PLoS One 25;13(7):e0201155. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201155\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1371/journal.pone.0201155\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"},{"header":"Tables","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable\u003c/strong\u003e 1.- Characteristics of the sample according to gender of the volleyball coaches\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"717\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e187\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMan\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136(72.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWoman\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e51(27.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCoaching Qualification:\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csub\u003e(2,187)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sub\u003e= 10.097\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.006\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLevel I\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27(14.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13(9.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14(27.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLevel II\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e78(41.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58(42.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20(39.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLevel III\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e82(43.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e65(47.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17(33.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCategory trained\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csub\u003e(2,187)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e= 4.321\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.115\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProvincial\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e73(39.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47(34.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e56(51.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRegional\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e72(38.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57(41.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15(29.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNational-International\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e42(22.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32(23.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10(19.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAssistant Coach\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e= 0.419\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.517\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e79(46.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58(48.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21(42.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e90(53.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62(51.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28(57.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTechnical Team\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e = 6.022\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.014\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62(36.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e51(42.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11(22.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e107(63.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e69(57.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38(77.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAAQ-II-TOTAL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.46(8.16)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17.65(7.91)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20.61(8.51)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003et = 2.227\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.027\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCLUSTER- AAQ-II\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csub\u003e(1,187)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sub\u003e= 3.109\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.078\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh AAQ-II\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e69(36.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45(33.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24(47.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLow AAQ-II\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e118(63.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91(66.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27(52.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eABQ-TOTAL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.897(3.49)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.623(3.33)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.627(3.82)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003et = \u0026nbsp;1.765\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.079\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eABQ-AFE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.70(4.37)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.39(4.25)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.53(4.62)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003et = 1.594\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.113\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eABQ-RSL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.12(3.96)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.76(3.73)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.06(4.39)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003et = 2.008\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.046\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eABQ-DPD\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.87(4.45)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.71(4.36)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.29(4.72)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eZ = - 0.637\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.524\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCLUSTER-ABQ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csub\u003e(1,187)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sub\u003e= 4.650\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.031\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh ABQ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e86(46.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e56(41.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30(46.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 22.7972%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLow ABQ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e101(54.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e80(58.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21(41.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 24.6154%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13.1469%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: For quantitative variables M(SD) and categorical variables n(%). Z: U Mann-Whitney; AAQ-II: Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; ABQ: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire; ABQ-AFE: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire-physical/emotional exhaustion; ABQ-RSL: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire-reduced sense of achievement; ABQ-DPD: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire- devaluation of sports practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable\u003c/strong\u003e 2.- Scores on the ABQ Burnout test according to high/low Psychological Inflexibility grouping.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"611\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 19.5759%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 16.4763%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCLUSTER 1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh AAQ-II\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 15.4976%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCLUSTER 2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLow AAQ-II\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 19.0865%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 12.398%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 16.9657%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCohen\u0026apos;s d\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.5759%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eABQ-TOTAL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.4763%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.34(3.14)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 15.4976%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.05(3.41)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.0865%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.546\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 12.398%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;.001\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.9657%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.5759%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eABQ-AFE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.4763%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.35(4.13)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 15.4976%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.74(4.24)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.0865%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.104\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 12.398%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;.001\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.9657%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.63\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.5759%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eABQ-RSL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.4763%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.46(3.60)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 15.4976%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.33(3.96)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.0865%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.676\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 12.398%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;.001\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.9657%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.56\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.5759%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eABQ-DPD\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.4763%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.20(4.11)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 15.4976%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.09(4.47)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.0865%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eZ = - 3.897\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 12.398%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;.120\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.9657%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.49\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.5759%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCLUSTER-ABQ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.4763%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 15.4976%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.0865%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csub\u003e(1,187)\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sub\u003e= 21.553\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 12.398%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;.001\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.9657%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePhi\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= 0.339\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.5759%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh ABQ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.4763%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47(68.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 15.4976%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39(33.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.0865%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 12.398%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.9657%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.5759%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLow ABQ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.4763%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22(31.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 15.4976%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e79(66.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.0865%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 12.398%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.9657%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: For quantitative variables M(SD) and categorical variables n(%). Z: U Mann-Whitney; AAQ-II: Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; ABQ: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire; ABQ-AFE: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire-physical/emotional exhaustion; ABQ-RSL: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire- reduced sense of achievement; ABQ-DPD: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire- devaluation of sports practice.\u003c/p\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"sport-sciences-for-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ssfh","sideBox":"Learn more about [Sport Sciences for Health](http://link.springer.com/journal/11332)","snPcode":"11332","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11332/3","title":"Sport Sciences for Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Burnout, Psychological Inflexibility, Mental Health, Volleyball Coaches","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655911/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655911/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"This study examined the relationship between psychological inflexibility and burnout in volleyball coaches. A total of 187 federated coaches participated (72.7% male). Psychological inflexibility was measured using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; burnout was assessed using the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Results showed no gender-based differences in psychological inflexibility clusters. However, female coaches were more likely to fall into high-burnout categories. Coaches with high psychological inflexibility reported significantly higher burnout scores, with an odds ratio of 4.328 for belonging to the high-burnout group. Neither coaching qualifications nor competitive level were associated with burnout. These findings highlight a significant link between inflexibility and burnout, underscoring the need for further research in sports settings.","manuscriptTitle":"Burnout syndrome according to psychological inflexibility in volleyball coaches","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-26 09:19:30","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655911/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-02-14T15:01:15+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-14T12:05:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-12T13:27:25+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-09T14:00:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"134233449571164648487679377135080670551","date":"2026-02-01T14:03:33+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"329217997544996905333334669087753835528","date":"2026-01-28T17:47:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"131371284482363175507908341291806826808","date":"2026-01-19T07:01:46+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"13459614951509169038724916924533401605","date":"2025-12-12T16:39:26+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"276046996589705139155162350810850350225","date":"2025-11-12T12:31:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"276342031851398501995136763302610667890","date":"2025-11-10T20:54:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-16T13:03:52+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-05-15T10:54:38+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-05-15T10:49:26+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Sport Sciences for Health","date":"2025-05-13T13:20:43+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"sport-sciences-for-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ssfh","sideBox":"Learn more about [Sport Sciences for Health](http://link.springer.com/journal/11332)","snPcode":"11332","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11332/3","title":"Sport Sciences for Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"23834c68-01f8-4ed0-afa0-1934e0f44c5d","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 26th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-02T16:01:23+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-6655911","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-026-01693-x","journal":{"identity":"sport-sciences-for-health","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Sport Sciences for Health"},"publishedOn":"2026-02-26 15:57:40","publishedOnDateReadable":"February 26th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-26 09:19:30","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s11332-026-01693-x","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-026-01693-x","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6655911","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6655911","identity":"rs-6655911","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}