Abstarct: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of passion and perceived independence on emotional exhaustion in volleyball plaxyers and to explain the role of psychological resources in reducing athletes' emotional exhaustion. The study attempts to provide an empirical frxamework for better understanding the factors affecting emotional exhaustion in competitive sports. The present study is applied in terms of purpose and quantitative in terms of method with a descxriptive-analytical and correlational approach. The statistical population included Iraqi volleyball plaxyers aged 17 to 24 years, of whom 177 were selected using convenience sampling. The data were collected using the passion questionnaire, the perceived independence questionnaire, and the emotional exhaustion questionnaire, and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that both passion and perceived independence have a negative and significant effect on emotional exhaustion in volleyball plaxyers. The path coefficient of passion to emotional exhaustion was -0.297 and the path coefficient of perceived independence to athletes' emotional exhaustion was -0.427, both of which were at a high level of significance. baxsed on the research findings, it can be concluded that passion and perceived independence, as two important psychological resources, play a fundamental role in reducing emotional exhaustion in volleyball plaxyers. Strengthening intrinsic motivation and providing conditions that increase athletes' sense of agency and self-control can lead to reducing emotional exhaustion and improving their mental health.