Grit, Athlete Burnout, and Well-Being in Female Collegiate Student-Athletes

Abstract

Context Collegiate student-athletes are faced with significant athletic and academic demands, causing a substantial amount of stress, which can lead to athlete burnout. Problematically, little research has been done to find ways to prevent or mitigate the effect of athlete burnout in collegiate student-athletes. Grit is one characteristic that they could use as a coping mechanism to reduce the effects of burnout and to improve overall well-being. Objective To determine if grit had a main or buffering effect on well-being and athlete burnout in female collegiate student-athletes. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting National Collegiate Athletics Association Division I institution. Patients or Other Participants A total of 174 female collegiate student-athletes. Main Outcome Measure(s) The Grit Scale, Athlete Burnout Questionnaire, and Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale were used to assess grit, athlete burnout, and well-being. Results Grit was a significant negative predictor for physical and emotional exhaustion (F1,172 = 28.25, P < .001), a reduced sense of accomplishment (F1,172 = 20.40, P < .001), and sport devaluation (F1,172 = 40.32, P < .001). Additionally, grit was a significant positive predictor of well-being (F1,172 = 29.68, P < .001). The moderated regression with grit did not reveal significant results. Conclusions We provide new information on considerations for reducing athlete burnout and improving well-being in female collegiate student-athletes. Athletic trainers and sports medicine stakeholders should consider intervention strategies for improving grit to mitigate athlete burnout and diminished well-being while continuing to explore their effectiveness.