Purpose of the Questionnaire

The MBI-Athletes is an adaptation of the classic Maslach Burnout Inventory, developed by Christina Maslach and Susan E. Jackson, for assessing professional burnout in the athletic domain. It is designed for athletes (both amateur and professional) and measures three main dimensions: Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), and Reduced Personal Accomplishment (PA). Greek researchers, such as A. Koustelios (2010), adapted the questionnaire to reflect the specific characteristics of the sports environment, where psychological and physical demands can lead to burnout.

Questionnaire Analysis

The MBI-Athletes consists of 22 items distributed across the three subscales. Emotional Exhaustion (EE) includes 9 items and measures emotional fatigue and lack of energy. Depersonalization (DP) includes 5 items and assesses detachment from the athletic role or teammates. Reduced Personal Accomplishment (PA) includes 8 items and measures the decline in self-confidence and satisfaction with athletic performance. Responses are rated on a 7-point Likert scale (0 = never, 6 = every day).

Scoring

High scores in EE and DP indicate higher levels of burnout, whereas low scores in PA are associated with increased burnout. For example, scores above 27 in EE suggest significant emotional exhaustion, scores above 13 in DP indicate high depersonalization, and scores below 31 in PA reflect reduced accomplishment.

Statistical Analysis

The score ranges for each dimension are: EE (0–54), DP (0–30), and PA (0–48). Maximum values correspond to the highest possible burnout, while minimum values indicate better psychological condition. For instance, a score of 54 in EE represents maximum emotional exhaustion, whereas a score of 0 in PA indicates the lowest possible sense of accomplishment.

Validity

The MBI-Athletes has been validated in both Greek and international contexts, with studies confirming its ability to accurately measure the dimensions of burnout in the sports domain. The validity of the questionnaire is supported by research such as Maslach & Jackson (1981), Raedeke & Smith (2001), as well as its adaptation by Koustelios (2010).

Reliability

The questionnaire demonstrates high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s α values above 0.80 for all dimensions. In addition, it has shown stability in repeated measurements, confirming its reliability.

References

Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2(2), 99–113.
Raedeke, T. D., & Smith, A. L. (2001). Development and validation of the athlete burnout questionnaire. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 23(4), 281–306.
Koustelios, A. (2010). Professional burnout in sports: Adaptation and evaluation of the MBI in Greek athletes.

Keywords

Professional burnout, MBI, sport psychology, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment, psychometric questionnaires.