This report summarises the findings of a pioneering study involving 1,819 Portuguese sports coaches, which revealed critical challenges to the sustainability of the profession. The main findings include:
- 84.6% of coaches are men, but female coaches experience higher levels of emotional exhaustion, despite having stronger social support networks.
- Coaches with more than 15 years of experience show higher levels of depersonalisation, indicating accumulated emotional strain.
- Sports such as Roller Hockey and Gymnastics show higher levels of burnout, while Handball stands out for lower levels of depersonalisation, possibly due to group cohesion.
- Coaches with basic education are the most vulnerable to emotional exhaustion, while Grade III coaches show higher levels of depersonalisation.