The Mediating Role of Coach-Athlete Relationship in Linking Talent Development Environment to Swimmer Burnout: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Competitive athletes frequently experience significant training and competition pressures that may lead to athlete burnout. As crucial psychosocial support systems, the talent development environment and coach-athlete relationship potentially mitigate these psychological challenges. This study investigates how these factors interact through athletes' perceived psychological strain to influence burnout among swimmers. Methods During swimming competitions, online questionnaires were distributed to participants. A total of 320 questionnaires were collected. The questionnaire included athletes' basic information and general scales such as APSQ, ABQ, TDEQ, and CARTQ to assess athletes' psychological strain, burnout, talent development environment, and coach-athlete relationship. Using structural equation modeling, we examined both direct effects of psychological strain on burnout and the potential mediating pathways involving talent development environment and coach-athlete relationship. Result The analysis confirmed the direct impact of psychological strain on athlete burnout. The talent development environment did not have a direct effect on athlete burnout; however, it was found that the talent development environment, mediated by the coach-athlete relationship, negatively influenced athlete burnout, creating an indirect impact pathway. This reveals coach-athlete relationship's pivotal role as the primary mediator between environmental support and burnout reduction. Conclusion This study establishes that while perceived psychological strain directly exacerbates burnout, talent development environment operates indirectly by strengthening coach-athlete relationships. For Chinese swimmers, cultivating high-quality coach relationships proves essential for transforming environmental support into effective burnout prevention. These findings underscore the need for coach development programs focusing on relationship-building strategies and early strain recognition.