Objective: This study examined the association between perceived social support and athlete burnout, and the statistical mediating role of experiential avoidance. Perceived social support was hypothesized to be negatively associated with burnout, directly and indirectly through experiential avoidance.



Method: In this descriptive-correlational, cross-sectional study, 231 competitive athletes (175 males, 56 females; M age = 19.62, SD = 4.81) from local to national levels were recruited via convenience sampling. They completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (Bond et al., 2011), and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (Raedeke & Smith, 2001). Data were analyzed using path analysis with maximum likelihood estimation in AMOS 24; indirect effects were tested with bootstrapping (5,000 resamples).



Results: Direct paths from perceived social support to burnout and to experiential avoidance were negative and significant, and the path from experiential avoidance to burnout was positive and significant. The indirect effect of social support on burnout via experiential avoidance was also significant, supporting all hypotheses.



Conclusion: Perceived social support was associated with lower burnout among competitive athletes, both directly and through reduced experiential avoidance. Given the cross-sectional design, findings indicate only a relational pattern and provide a theoretical basis for future intervention research. The efficacy of interventions strengthening external support and promoting acceptance of internal experiences was not tested and requires longitudinal and experimental study.