Author(s): CHANG, Y., LU, W.C., Institution: NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, Country: TAIWAN, Abstract-ID: 909

Introduction
Facing demands in school and sports settings, burnout among student-athletes is common, and school burnout is especially crucial for them because it is linked with reduced learning motivation and increased health concerns. Anchored in Conservation of Resources Theory (COR theory) (Hobfoll, 1989), the present study aims to examine the mediating role that self-concept clarity plays in the relationship between school demands and school burnout. Second, the moderating effect of sense of belonging with peers on the relationship between self-concept clarity and school burnout is examined. Lastly, the moderated mediation of school demands, self-concept clarity, sense of belonging with peers, and school burnout is explored.
Methods
This study targeted collegiate student-athletes in Taiwan. A structured questionnaire survey was employed for data collection, yielding 350 valid responses. Hypothesis testing was conducted using hierarchical regression analysis.
Results
School demands predict school burnout through the mediation of self-concept clarity. Sense of belonging with peers moderates the relationship between self-concept clarity and school burnout. When sense of belonging with peers is at higher levels, the negative relationship between self-concept clarity and school burnout is weakened. In addition, sense of belonging with peers also moderates the mediation effect of self-concept clarity between school demands and school burnout.
Discussion
The present study supports the moderated mediation of school demands, self-concept clarity, sense of belonging with peers, and school burnout among student-athletes as being valid under the COR theoretical framework. To address the issue of student-athletes’ school burnout, it is suggested that educational institutions foster stable learning environments that prioritize their mental well-being by reducing academic demands through institutional support and flexibility, enhancing self-concept clarity to build resilience, and strengthening peer belonging to promote social and psychological adjustment.