Purpose: Athlete burnout, as a multidimensional psychological syndrome, impairs athletes' mental health. This study aimed to predict burnout based on self-reported indicators of physiological functioning (sleep quality and eating disturbances), cognitive appraisals, and the mediating role of coping behaviors, also examining the role of gender.

Methods: A correlational design was employed. The statistical population consisted of 190 athletes (26.2 years). Data were collected using the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire, the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Primary and Secondary Cognitive Appraisal Scale, and the Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool. Data were analyzed using path analysis in SPSS and LISREL.

Result: Except for eating disorders, all other variables showed significant relationships with burnout. After model modification and removal of non-significant paths, the final model demonstrated acceptable fit indices. Coping behaviors explained 21% of the variance in burnout, while gender, sleep quality, and coping behaviors together accounted for 24% of the variance. Cognitive demands exerted the strongest influence on coping behaviors. Furthermore, the self-reported indicator of sleep quality and coping behaviors showed the most substantial positive and negative effects on burnout, respectively.

Conclusion: Understanding psychological resources and coping strategies is essential for safeguarding athlete well-being. Positive coping interventions may effectively attenuate burnout. The findings offer partial support for the cognitive-affective model, as its core components (cognitive appraisal, physiological, and behavioral response) were corroborated. Interventions aimed at improving sleep quality and enhancing coping skills may hold promise for reducing burnout; however, the efficacy of such interventions warrants further empirical validation.