Exploring the Links Between Coaching Burnout and Work Addiction in Athletics

Abstract

Many factors can affect coaching tendencies and career longevity in the profession of coaching athletics. Work addiction and burnout are two areas that have been individually studied in various professional work settings; however, information linking the two is scarce. With the pressures of winning at all costs seemingly taking over the American sports culture, coaches now find themselves in highly stressful work environments that require immediate attention around the clock. The purpose of this synthesis was to review the literature on coaching burnout and work addiction in athletics. Both individual factors and situational factors are explored as they pertain to coaching burnout. The sub-themes of commitment, coaching efficacy, perfectionism and emotional exhaustion are each developed and discussed as individual factors that are linked to having sufficient impact on coaching burnout. Work addiction research is limited in the athletics coaching field. The topic is found to be relevant thus subtle connections are made between the limited research providing on coaching and research provided from other professional realms. Lastly, the topic of youth specialization in athletics is introduced as possible links are explored between this area and those previously mentioned. Thus far, previous research has shown while either area could be individual causes to coaches leaving the profession of coaching athletics, there is not enough sufficient evidence supporting a direct link between work addiction and coaching burnout within athletics. Further studies utilizing the proper participants and longitudinal methods are necessary to provide critical information that could prevent an increasing problem among athletic coaches at all levels of sport.