The Effectiveness of a Counseling Program Based on Mental Sustainability in Reducing Burnout among Al-Qadisiyah University Handball Team Players

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a counseling program based on mental sustainability in reducing burnout among the handball players of Al-Qadisiyah University team. The researcher adopted the experimental method using a one-group pretest–posttest design. The study sample consisted of 14 players selected purposively. The Athlete Burnout Scale was used to measure the dimensions of emotional/physical exhaustion reduced sense of accomplishment and sport devaluation. The counseling program consisted of 13 sessions, implemented at a rate of two sessions per week during the period from January 3, 2026, to March 16, 2026. The data were analyzed using the arithmetic mean standard deviation paired-samples t-test and effect size. The results showed statistically significant differences between the pretest and posttest measurements in the level of burnout. The mean score decreased from 72.64 to 54.21, with a t-value of 8.37 at a significance level of 0.001, while the effect size reached 2.24. The study concluded that the counseling program based on mental sustainability was effective in reducing burnout among the players. It recommends integrating sports psychological counseling programs into the preparation of university teams