Physical activity and burnout in young adults: The mediating role of athletic identity and aesthetic pressure
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70478/apuntes.psi.2026.44.18Keywords:
Burnout, Physical activity, Athletic identity, Aesthetic pressure, Young adultsAbstract
Introduction. Burnout in young adults has been linked to socioeconomic precarity and the demands of the «performance society». Although physical activity (PA) is frequently described as a protective resource against exhaustion, recent research suggests that its association with well-being may vary according to demands and psychosocial conditions.
Method. A cross-sectional quantitative design was used with 63 participants (60.3% women; M = 25.11 years, SD = 3.65) residing in Spain. The personal burnout subscale of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI-PB), the IPAQ-SF, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, and an abbreviated 21-item version of the CIMEC to assess aesthetic pressure were administered.
Results. A U-shaped curvilinear relationship between PA and personal exhaustion was observed (R² = .225), with the fitted curve reaching its minimum at 2,777 MET-min/week. Multiple regression showed independent associations of perceived stress (β = .532) and academic/work demands (β = .232) with personal exhaustion (R² = .756). An indirect effect of athletic identity on personal exhaustion through aesthetic pressure was also observed (B = 3.48, 95% CI [1.09, 6.79]). Three exploratory profiles were identified: Resilient, At-Risk, and Overloaded.
Discussion. The findings suggest that exercise quantity alone is insufficient to understand personal exhaustion and highlight the relevance of considering physical activity, athletic identity, and aesthetic pressure together. Given the cross-sectional design and the sample size, the findings should be interpreted as associations compatible with the proposed model rather than as evidence of causal relationships.
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