An Examination of Perfectionism Cognitions and Athlete Burnout in Collegiate Athletes Over the Course of a Seaso

The relationship between trait perfectionism and athlete burnout has been established within the sport domain. In contrast, research examining the relationship between the cognitive or state-like aspects of perfectionism cognitions and athlete burnout is very limited and has not involved collegiate athletes. It is also not known whether perfectionism cognitions can predict changes in athlete burnout over time. These questions were addressed utilizing a correlational and time series design. A sample of collegiate athletes ( N=130) from a Division II university in Southern California completed an online survey at the beginning (Time 1) and end (Time 2) of their competitive season. The frequency of perfectionism cognitions (PC) was assessed using the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory. The Athlete Burnout Questionnaire was used to assess emotional/physical exhaustion (EP), reduced sense of accomplishment (RA), and sport devaluation (SD). Bivariate correlation analysis showed no significant relationships between Time 1 PC and Time 1 EP (r = .11, p = .20), RA (r = .12, N = 130, p = .12), and SD (r = -.03, p = .77). No significant relationships were observed between Time 2 PC and Time 2 EP (r = .01, p = .95), RA (r = .06, N = 130, p = .50), and SD ( r = -.08, p = .34). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that perfectionism cognitions could not significantly predict changes in EP, RA, and SD at the end of the competitive season. Further research is needed to support the inclusion of perfectionism cognitions in models explaining the relationship between perfectionism and athlete burnout.