Coping as Mediator in the Relationship Between Hope and Burnout Among Football Players

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between hope and burnout among senior level football players, and more precisely to examine whether approach coping and avoidance coping would mediate this relationship. Ninety Swedish football players (53 males, 37 females; aged 15–34 years, M = 22.38, SD = 4.47) filled out a questionnaire pack measuring trait hope, coping, and symptoms of athlete burnout. Findings showed a significant positive correlation between hope and approach coping. Further correlation analysis showed hope having a significant negative relationship with athlete burnout, as well as with avoidance coping. Mediation analyses found a direct negative effect between hope and burnout, which corresponds with previous research. Mediation analysis further showed that avoidance coping had a significant mediating effect on the hope-burnout relationship. However, no mediating effect was found with approach coping as mediator. Findings therefore indicate that football players low in hope are more prone to employ avoidance coping strategies when facing stress, making them more vulnerable to develop burnout. Hope may be important to promote and include in health evaluations to better understand and reduce the risk of developing burnout among football players.