Mental Toughness and Resilience as Game-Changers in Esports

These traits appeared to shield players from stress and helped them maintain their motivation and well-being.

Esports has become a massive global sport, drawing in millions of players and fans. However, as competition heats up, so does the pressure on players, often leading to mental health struggles. One major issue that most esports players report is burnout. To better understand this, the researchers investigated burnout and the influence of resilience and mental toughness among esports players.

A total of 453 players ranked in the top 40% of their respective team-based games, which included popular titles like League of Legends, Valorant, Rainbow Six Siege, Apex Legends, CS:GO, DOTA 2, and Overwatch, were surveyed. The players filled out questionnaires about their esports background, how well they handle pressure, setbacks and challenges, their ability to cope and adapt to stressful situations, and their level of burnout.

The results showed that:

Burnout is Common among Esports Players

The researchers found that players could be grouped into three categories based on their burnout risk: Low Burnout Risk (33.8%), Medium Burnout Risk (28.0%), and High Burnout Risk (38.3%). More than one-third of players fell into the high-risk group, highlighting how widespread burnout is in the competitive gaming world.

Players in the Medium and High Burnout Risk groups shared similar negative feelings and physical exhaustion, which are common signs of burnout, such as feeling drained or emotionally stressed.

Additionally, a notable characteristic of the High Burnout Risk group was their sense of reduced accomplishment. These players felt inadequate or like they were failing, even though they were performing at a high level. This lack of fulfilment seemed to be a major factor in their more severe burnout symptoms.

Resilience and Mental Toughness Can Help

On a positive note, the study also identified traits that helped protect players from burnout. Players with higher levels of mental toughness and resilience were more likely to fall into the Low Burnout Risk group. Sergeant, Zarate, Griffiths and Stravropoulos (2024) explained that

"...both mental toughness and resilience, through protecting players against the adverse effects of stress, could influence esports player’s experience of burnout symptoms."

These findings align with research from traditional sports. Just as athletes in physical sports rely on mental toughness and resilience to handle competition, esports players with these traits seem better equipped to manage the intense demands of their games.

This study highlights the serious mental health challenges that many competitive gamers face, particularly the high rates of burnout. As esports continues to grow, it’s crucial to raise awareness about this issue burnout and promote strategies to help players cope. Building mental toughness and resilience could be key to protecting players’ well-being in this rapidly expanding industry.

Esports Coping Strategies

Practice the following strategies to build your mental toughness and/or resilience against symptoms of burnout.

• Learn from successes and setbacks. Keep a gaming journal to track lessons learned from each match and how you’ll apply them moving forward.

• Think positively. Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations, such as "I’m capable of improving with practice" or "I learn from every match, win or lose."

• Balance your gaming schedule routine. Dedicate time each week to non-gaming hobbies or activities that could help you recharge mentally and physically.

Reference: Sergeant, J., Zarate, D., Griffiths, M. D., & Stravropoulos, V. (2024). Burnout profiles among esports players: Associations with mental toughness and resilience. Journal of Sports Sciences, 42(18), 1685-1694. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2405794