The relationship between spiritual well-being and burnout in collegiate athletic trainers.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of spiritual well-being and religious coping on burnout, its causes, and its effects in collegiate athletic trainers (ATs). An online survey was completed by 793 collegiate ATs that inquired about current perceptions of burnout, social support, workload, work-family conflict, spiritual well-being and use of religious coping methods as well as previous month substance use and current intention to leave the profession. Multiple regressions were performed to examine relationships between these variables using Smith’s Cognitive-Affective Model of Athletic Burnout. Low social support, high workload and high work-family conflict were all related to increases in burnout. Increases in burnout were related to an increased intention to leave the profession and an increased risk of binge drinking. Increases in existential well-being were linked to increases in social support and decreases in workload, work-family conflict, burnout, intention to leave the profession, and binge drinking. Existential well-being mediated the relationship between social support and burnout as well as the relationship between burnout and binge drinking. Existential well-being also moderated the relationship between the two burnout subscales of personal accomplishment and emotional exhaustion. This study demonstrates the importance of spiritual well-being in the lives of collegiate ATs and warrants further research.