Overtraining in Adolescent Athletes : Typological analysis based on physiological and emotional symptoms
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| Year of publication | 2020 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | The study focused on overtraining in adolescent athletes. The research sample consisted of 236 adolescent athletes (50% females, 14 – 19 years old) engaged in different sport disciplines (among most frequent sports belonged athletics, swimming, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and football). All participants were recruited from a sport-dedicated high school in Czech Republic. The majority (97.1% of participants) trained a minimum of 3 times per week. Participants competed at the recreational (4.1% of participants), regional (14.5%), national (49.0%), and international (32.4%) levels. The questionnaire battery consisted of multiple instruments focused on demographic, social, psychological, and sport-related characteristics. In the present study we used Training Distress Scale and the Brunel Mood States. Based on results from Training Distress Scale and The Brunel Mood States, three types of athletes differentiated in emotional and physiological symptoms of overtraining were identified. The first cluster (37.3%) did not demonstrate any signs of overtraining, the second cluster (33.1%) showed elevated levels physical distress with all other variables at average level, and the third cluster (29.7%) differed from the other two clusters by above average (below average in case of Vigor) levels of all variables with the exception of physical training distress symptoms, where clusters 2 and 3 were almost indistinguishable. Identified clusters were compared in external criterions reflecting sport-related self-evaluations (actual fitness level, increase/decrease in muscle power, endurance). In all cases, cluster 3 differed from the other two clusters. Respondents in cluster 3 showed significantly lower level of self-reported current form, as well as decrease in muscle power and endurance. When taking into account results of cluster analysis together with comparison of clusters in sport related external criterions, we suggest that the clusters can be interpreted regarding the theoretical continuum from optimal training, overreaching, to overtraining. |
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