Exploring the Dark Side: Differential Associations Between Dark Triad Traits and Athlete Burnout in University Student-Athletes / Karanlık Tarafı Keşfetmek: Karanlık Üçlü Kişilik Özellikleri ve Öğrenci Sporcular Üzerindeki Tükenmişlik Etkileri
Differential Associations Between Dark Triad Traits and Athlete Burnout in University Student-Athletes.
Keywords:
Dark Triad, Athlete Burnout, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, Narcissism, Sport PsychologyAbstract
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study aimed to examine the associations between Dark Triad personality traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) and athlete burnout among university student-athletes within a non-Western sport context.
Material and Method: This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional correlational research design. The sample comprised 289 university student-athletes (29.4% female, 70.6% male; mean age = 21.75 years, SD = 2.19). Participants completed the Dirty Dozen Scale and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and relative importance analysis to examine the unique contributions of each Dark Triad trait to athlete burnout.
Results: The overall model explained 24.5% of the variance in athlete burnout. Machiavellianism emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by psychopathy, while narcissism did not show a significant unique association when controlling for shared variance among traits.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that Dark Triad traits are differentially associated with athlete burnout. In particular, manipulative and emotionally detached personality characteristics appear to increase vulnerability to burnout, highlighting the importance of personality-informed monitoring and intervention strategies in sport settings. Accordingly, coaches, sport psychologists, and university sport programs should consider incorporating routine psychological screening and targeted mental skills interventions to facilitate the early identification and prevention of athlete burnout.
Keywords: Athlete Burnout, Dark Triad, Machiavellianism, Narcissism, Sport Psychology, Psychopathy.
ÖZET
Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, üniversite öğrenci sporcularında Karanlık Üçlü kişilik özellikleri (Makyavelizm, psikopati ve narsisizm) ile sporcu tükenmişliği arasındaki ilişkileri incelemektir.
Materyal ve Metod: Bu çalışma kesitsel ilişkisel araştırma deseni kullanılarak yürütülmüştür. Araştırma, 289 üniversite öğrenci sporcu (%29.4 kadın, %70.6 erkek; Ort. yaş = 21.75 ± 2.19 yıl) ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Katılımcılara Karanlık Üçlü Ölçeği (Dirty Dozen) ve Sporcu Tükenmişlik Ölçeği uygulanmıştır. Veriler, çoklu doğrusal regresyon analizi ve göreli önem analizi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir.
Bulgular: Kurulan model sporcu tükenmişliğindeki varyansın %24.5'ini açıklamıştır. Makyavelizm en güçlü yordayıcı olarak belirlenmiş, bunu psikopati izlemiş, narsisizmin ise diğer değişkenler kontrol edildiğinde anlamlı bir özgün katkı sunmadığı görülmüştür.
Sonuç: Bulgular, Karanlık Üçlü kişilik özelliklerinin sporcu tükenmişliği ile farklı düzeylerde ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Özellikle manipülatif ve duygusal açıdan mesafeli kişilik özellikleri tükenmişlik riskini artırmaktadır. Bu durum, spor ortamlarında kişilik temelli izleme ve müdahale stratejilerinin önemini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu doğrultuda, antrenörlerin, spor psikologlarının ve üniversite spor programlarının tükenmişlik riskinin erken belirlenmesi ve önlenmesine yönelik düzenli psikolojik değerlendirme ve hedefe yönelik psikolojik beceri eğitimlerini uygulamaya dâhil etmeleri önerilmektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Karanlık Üçlü, Makyavelizm, Narsisizm, Psikopati, Spor Psikolojisi, Sporcu Tükenmişliği,.
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