Burnout and cognitive workload among elite basketball coaches: Effects of coaching experience and practice structure

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCE AND COACHING, vol.0, no.0, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus)

Burnout and cognitive workload present major challenges to coach well-being, yet few studies examine how these factors

relate to practice structure preferences and coaching experience. This cross-sectional study investigated 103 elite Turkish

basketball coaches (Mage =42.1 ±6.3 years; Mexperience=13.6 ±4.2 years). Burnout was measured using the Maslach

Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey, cognitive workload via the NASA-TLX, and practice structure preference

through a single-item measure based on the constraints-led approach (CLA). Coaches reported moderate burnout

(M =23.3, SD =3.7) and high cognitive workload (M =66.5, SD =8.1). Correlation analyses revealed a small, nonsignificant

inverse relationship between CLA preference and burnout (r=–.10, p=.29), and a significant but modest inverse

association between experience and burnout (r=–.25, p=.011). Regression analysis showed that experience predicted

lower burnout (β=–.23, p=.008, f²=.09), while CLA preference did not (β=–.16, p=.184). The model explained 7.9%

of the variance in burnout (R²=.08). A second regression indicated no significant links between either predictor and

cognitive workload (R² =.03, n.s.). T-tests showed nonsignificant burnout differences between high- and low-CLA groups

(d =–0.17, p=.44). These results suggest that experience may provide some protection against burnout, while cognitive

workload remains high regardless of practice design. Given the cross-sectional nature and single-item CLA measure, findings

should be interpreted cautiously. Coach education should integrate pedagogical innovation with stress-management

strategies to promote psychological sustainability.