The Effect Of External Motivation Internalization On Athlete Burnout

With the guidance of self-determination theory, this study explored the effect of external motivation internalization on athlete burnout through 2 studies. Study one included 2 laboratory experiments and 40 young football players for this study. In study one, objective motivations(autonomy-oriented motivation and control-oriented motivation) were motivated by 2 different instructions. Experiment one used a 60-minute boring cognitive task to induce burnout, schulte grid completion time and a self-report were used to measure burnout. Experiment two was performed a week later, and the 40 athletes were re-randomized grouping. A 60-minute boring motor task was used to induce burnout, and dart task and a self-report were used to measure burnout. Study two was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study design which was designed in natural environment. 2 echelons from a club of China Super League participated in this experiment. Team A which was experimental group had 21 players, moreover, there were 17 players in team B as a control group. From the beginning of winter season, the coaching staff created autonomy-supportive conditions for experimental group, they provided athletes some rights and options to participate in the training and management, while control group was not provided the corresponding rights. In addition, the two groups’ other treatment from coaching staff and daily training intensity were consistent basically. The experiment which lasted 1.5 month ended in the mid-term of winter season, Behavioral Regulation in Sport Questionnaire(BRSQ) and Athlete Burnout Questionnaire(ABQ) were respectively used to measure internalization motivation and burnout of athlete.The conclusions of this study were as follows:(1) A period of boring task could induce burnout of athlete.(2) There was significant negative correlation between external motivation internalization and burnout of athlete.(3) Improving athletes’ autonomy-supportive can facilitate internalization of external motivation, which can work for the prevention and adjustment of athlete burnout.(4) The changes of internalization of athletes’ external motivation could predict the changes in burnout of athlete under certain conditions. That is, when the level of internalization developed toward a low direction, the degree of athlete burnout gone up.