The Links Between Psychological Flexibility, Coach Support, and Athlete Burnout: Sports Self-efficacy as a Mediator

Background: Athlete burnout is a multifaceted psychological syndrome characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion, a reduced sense of athletic accomplishment, and progressive devaluation of sport. Objectives: This study assessed the associations of psychological flexibility and coach support with athlete burnout, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of sports self-efficacy in male athletes. Methods: This descriptive correlational study used structural equation modeling with bootstrap resampling to assess mediating pathways. The target population comprised male athletes aged 18 to 35 years living in Ahvaz, Iran, in 2025. The final sample included 300 athletes, and data were collected using four standardized instruments. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling using SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 24. Results: Psychological flexibility and coach support were inversely associated with athlete burnout and positively associated with sports self-efficacy. Sports self-efficacy was also inversely associated with athlete burnout. The structural model supported the mediating role of sports self-efficacy, indicating significant indirect associations of both psychological flexibility and coach support with lower athlete burnout. Conclusions: Greater psychological flexibility and stronger perceived coach support were associated with higher sports self-efficacy, which, in turn, was associated with lower burnout. Psychological interventions and supportive coaching approaches may therefore help protect athletes’ mental health and sustain performance.