The Mediating Effect of Burnout on the Relationship Between Training Attitude and Perceived Performance in Middle and High School Athletes

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating effect of burnout in the relationship between training attitude and perceived performance among middle and high school athletes and to identify the psychological mechanisms underlying perceived athletic performance in adolescent athletes. Method: The participants were 294 middle and high school athletes in South Korea. Data were collected through an online survey conducted from September to November 2025. The measurement instruments included training attitude (16 items), athlete burnout (13 items), and perceived performance (5 items). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 26.0. The analytical procedure included confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM), and bootstrapping. Results: First, training attitude had a significant positive effect on perceived performance (β=.81, p<.001). Second, training attitude had a significant negative effect on burnout (β=−.49, p<.001). Third, burnout partially mediated the relationship between training attitude and perceived performance (indirect effect β=−.40, p<.001). These results suggest that a positive training attitude is associated with reduced burnout levels, which subsequently contributes to enhanced perceived performance. Conclusion: This study provides empirical evidence that training attitude influences perceived performance both directly and indirectly through the mediation of burnout among adolescent athletes. The results underscore the critical importance of fostering positive training attitudes and implementing targeted burnout prevention strategies to enhance the psychological well-being and athletic performance of middle and high school athletes. Future research should employ longitudinal designs and incorporate additional psychological variables to further extend the current model.