COMPARISON OF ATHLETES WITH AND WITHOUT BURNOUT USING THE STROOP COLOR AND WORD TEST.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Sports Psychology
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Adolescent burnout is a growing concern, particularly among student athletes.
• Understanding the neurophysiological underpinnings of burnout is crucial for targeted interventions.
• The Stroop Color and Word Test is a standard measure of executive function and cognitive control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare brain activity between adolescent athletes with and without burnout during a cognitive task.
• To investigate the relationship between burnout and performance on the Stroop Color and Word Test.
• To identify specific electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns associated with burnout in athletes.

Main Methods:

• Administered the Sport Adaptation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory to 460 Korean high school student athletes.
• Recorded electroencephalographic (EEG) data from frontal, central, parietal, and occipital regions during the Stroop Color and Word Test.
• Utilized a three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to analyze the group, condition, and electrode data.

Main Results:

• Athletes without burnout demonstrated significantly higher accuracy on the Stroop task compared to athletes with burnout.
• Athletes without burnout exhibited greater amplitudes in frontal theta, alpha, and beta power.
• Burnout was associated with reduced cognitive performance and altered frontal brain activity.

Conclusions:

• Burnout in adolescent athletes is linked to impaired cognitive control and distinct electrophysiological differences.
• Frontal theta, alpha, and beta activity may serve as neurophysiological markers for burnout in this population.
• These findings highlight the importance of addressing burnout to support both mental well-being and cognitive function in student athletes.