Emotional Intelligence and Athlete Burnout – a two-sample examination of the relationship between trait emotional intelligence, burnout, and coping strategies in athletes

Competitive sport has the potential to increase chronic stress and hence the risk of burnout. The aim of this paper was first to examine the relationship of athlete burnout to trait emotional intelligence (TEI), and second looking at a mediation effect of coping strategies between TEI and athlete burnout. In two samples of athletes (N1 = 290; N2 = 144), we conducted correlation analyses linking dimensions of TEI with athlete burnout and found negative correlations. We then tested a structural equation model in the second sample hypothesizing an indirect link between TEI and athlete burnout via the path of coping strategies. Results showed a mediation effect of emotion-focused to problem-focused coping between TEI and athlete burnout. Avoidance coping showed a positive direct effect to athlete burnout. Further research should investigate effective coping strategies and clarify whether emotional intelligence training may favor their use to protect athletes from developing burnout symptoms.