AUTHOR=Vilks Svens , Kolesovs Aleksandrs 

TITLE=Basic psychological needs satisfaction, intrinsic motivation, and studying sports protect university student-athletes from burnout: insights from Latvia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1548583

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2025.1548583

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=The study explored the prediction of athlete burnout by basic psychological needs satisfaction in sports, combined with the intrinsic motivation in sports and sociodemographic characteristics of university student-athletes. The protective effects of both psychological predictors were expected. The participants were 219 university student-athletes aged 19–33 (M = 22.3 and SD = 3.2 years) who participated in sports from recreational (38%) up to World/Olympic (9%) levels, with a mean sports experience of 10.1 (SD = 5.2) years. The study used three surveys, presented in Latvian: Sports Motivation Scale-II, Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale, and Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Higher need satisfaction was the main predictor of lower burnout and a higher sense of accomplishment in the frame of SEM. Higher intrinsic motivation, participants' age, and studying sports also predicted lower burnout and competing at World/Olympic level predicted a higher sense of accomplishment. The bifactor model confirmed athlete burnout as a syndrome integrating its specific components. As the main protective factor, psychological needs satisfaction in sports should be prioritized in university student-athlete training.