Does Resilience Protect Against Burnout? Psychometric Validation of Burnout and Resilience Measures and Their Interplay in Elite Athletes

Abstract

Burnout and resilience are increasingly recognized as key factors influencing athlete performance in high achievement sport. However, there is a lack of validated instruments in the Latvian context to assess these constructs. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) and the Resilience Assessment Scale (RAS) in a sample of elite Latvian athletes; and (2) to examine the relationship between resilience and burnout dimensions. A total of 130 elite athletes participated in the study. The ABQ and RAS were translated and culturally adapted into Latvian using a multi-step procedure, followed by psychometric evaluation. Pearson correlation was used to assess relationships between burnout and resilience dimensions. The ABQ demonstrated a reliable three-factor structure, while the RAS yielded a modified, culturally relevant four-factor model. Both instruments showed acceptable internal consistency. However, no statistically significant correlations were found between resilience and burnout dimensions, indicating that resilience may not function as a direct protective factor in this sample. Strong intercorrelations among resilience subscales supported its multidimensional nature. The findings provide validated Latvian-language tools for sport psychology research and suggest that burnout in elite athletes may be influenced more by environmental than individual psychological factors.