Relationship between Mindfulness, Psychological Skills, and Mental Toughness in College Athletes

Relationships between mental toughness, eustress-distress, and mindfulness in adolescents: A network analysis and mediator model testing

The main aim of this study was to investigate adolescents' eustress-distress and mindfulness by examining mental toughness (MT) using network and mediator analyses. The study included 414 adolescents. The results showed that MT was positively related to eustress and mindfulness, but distress was negatively related to MT. Based on the network analysis findings, we tested mindfulness' mediating role in the relationship between eustress-distress and MT. The findings showed that mindfulness played a significant mediating role. However, the mediating role of mindfulness was negative for the relationship between distress and toughness and positive for eustress. These findings advance eustress, distress, and mindfulness as mechanisms for understanding the effects of MT. Considering current knowledge of MT, eustress, distress, and mindfulness, the results are discussed.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Polish Version of the Mindfulness Inventory for Sport (MIS-PL)

The study investigated psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Mindfulness Inventory for Sport (MIS-PL). Following an expert review (stage 1), a sample of 333 athletes voluntarily participated in the study to verify the internal structure of the questionnaire (stage 2). In a final step (stage 3), confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis of the MIS-PL subscales with other variables were conducted to demonstrate the stability and reproducibility of the factor structure of the scale and to determine the theoretical validity of the measure. The factor analyses performed confirmed the three-factor structure of the MIS-PL with the following dimensions: 1) awareness, 2) non-judgmental attitude, and 3) refocusing, characterized by acceptable fit indices. Analyses of the correlations between the MIS-PL subscales and conceptually related variables (mindfulness in daily life, worry, concentration disruption, mental toughness, and flow) also proved statistically significant. In summary, the MIS-PL is a valid measure for assessing mindfulness in sport.

Development of Mental Toughness among Basketball Sports School Students

The development of mental toughness in student athletes within sports schools is crucial for identifying strengths and improving weaknesses to optimize performance. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a mental toughness development program for basketball sports school students. Sixty-two male student athletes, aged 15.83 ± 0.37 years, participated, with 30 in the experimental group and 32 in the control group. They completed the Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48 (MTQ48) before and after the 6-week intervention program. Pearson's correlations were calculated for study variables. A repeated measures MANOVA followed by one-way ANOVA analyzed differences in mental toughness skills between groups and over time. Results showed a significant effect of the intervention program on mental toughness skills, with small and medium effect sizes. Post-program, the experimental group exhibited higher levels of various skills compared to controls, including skills related to challenge, commitment, emotional control, life control, overall control, self-confidence in interpersonal interactions, self-confidence in one's abilities, overall self-confidence, and total MTQ48. These findings underscore the utility of interventions for enhancing mental toughness among basketball sports school students, emphasizing the importance of tailored approaches in such intervention programs.

The Impact of a Psychological Skills Training and Mindfulness-Based Intervention on the Mental Toughness, Competitive Anxiety, and Coping Skills of Futsal Players-A Longitudinal Convergent Mixed-Methods Design

Despite the sport's popularity, there is a paucity in futsal psychological interventional research. This study analysed the impact of a ten-session psychological skills training and mindfulness-based intervention (PSTMI) on the mental toughness, competitive anxiety, and athletic coping skills of national league futsal players (n = 13). It also analysed whether these variables were predicted by playing experience. Pre-/post-intervention questionnaires were filled in and analysed (Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire, and Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28). Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with seven athletes; quantitative and qualitative data were integrated in a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Results revealed significant medium-to-large improvements in mental toughness, cognitive anxiety, and coping skills following the PSTMI. Years of playing experience positively and significantly predicted better self-confidence and coping skills. Thematic analysis generated five themes: (1) post-intervention enhancement in athletic performance and well-being; (2) the non-athletic commitments of futsal players; (3) diverse views on how to improve the intervention; (4) instilling social identity through sport psychology sessions; and (5) the impact of years of experience on skill learning. Results mirrored those from other sporting disciplines. The PSTMI was well-received and equipped athletes with beneficial psychological skills, stressing the need for more sport psychology resources in futsal.

A meta-analysis of the association between mindfulness and motivation

Introduction

Mindfulness reflects attention to the present moment in a non-judgmental way and has been linked to individual autonomy and motivation, but conclusions are inconsistent. The purpose of this review was to summarize previous studies to explore the relationship between mindfulness and motivation and its intervention effects.

Methods

Literature searches were conducted in five electronic databases. Both correlational studies assessing the association between motivation and mindfulness and experimental studies to verify the effect of intervention were included.

Results

Six papers with seven intervention studies and twenty-three papers with twenty-seven correlational studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that mindfulness was positively correlated with intrinsic motivation (r = 0.28, p < 0.0001) and total motivation (r = 0.37, p < 0.0001) but had no significant correlation with extrinsic motivation (r = 0.01, p = 0.93) or amotivation (r = -0.17, p = 0.14). Effect-size estimates suggested that mindfulness intervention was beneficial to motivation promotion, but the effect was at a low level (g = 0.12).

Conclusion

We found consistent support for mindfulness practice relating to motivation promotion, especially on intrinsic motivation development. However, there was still a portion of heterogeneity that could not be explained and needed to be identified in future studies.

Psychological Skills Training for Athletes in Sports: Web of Science Bibliometric Analysis

Psychological Skill Training (PST) for optimal performance in sports has received extensive attention from athletes, coaches, and experts, and numerous studies have been conducted, but despite this interest, it has not been the subject of any bibliographic analysis. The analysis covered 405 articles and reviews that were located in the Thomson Reuters Web of Science (Core CollectionTM) between 1992 and 2021. These papers were published by 1048 authors from 543 different universities across 54 countries in 107 different journals. The fundamental bibliometric calculations and co-word networks were completed. As a result, the following thematic elements were grouped into four clusters: (1) PST for stress, mental toughness, and coping, (2) PST for anxiety, motivation, self-confidence, and self-efficacy, (3) PST for flow and mindfulness, and (4) PST for emotions. From the results of this study, it was confirmed that the topic of PST is converging toward the best performance, with various approaches, such as stress management, anxiety control, and coping as techniques for PST. Furthermore, mindfulness and positive psychology studies emphasize athletes' quality of life, so coaches and experts should pay more attention to improving athletes' quality of life in future research.

Effects of Yoga Intervention on Functional Movement Patterns and Mindfulness in Collegiate Athletes: A Quasi-Experimental Study

High-quality movement patterns and high levels of mindfulness are thought to be beneficial in preventing sports injuries. Yoga is recommended in the field of athlete rehabilitation. This study investigated the effects of yoga intervention on functional movement patterns and mindfulness in collegiate athletes. It is a quasi-experimental study with a pre/post-test control design. The participants were divided into a yoga group and a control group. A Functional Movement Screen and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale were used to assess participants' basic movement patterns and mindfulness before and after 12 weeks of yoga intervention (two classes per week, 90 min per class). The results show that the yoga group's FMS scores improved more compared to the control group [F(1,78) = 29.08, p < 0.001, ŋp² = 0.27], and that the scores for the deep squat (ŋp² = 0.4), shoulder mobility (ŋp² = 0.17), and trunk stability pushup (ŋp² = 0.36) improved substantially. The dysfunctional score ratio for deep squats (χ² = 18.57, p < 0.001), shoulder mobility (χ² = 26.90, p < 0.001), trunk stability pushup (χ² = 17.07, p < 0.001), and rotatory stability (χ²= 38.29, p <0.001) decreased significantly compared with the control group, but there was no significant improvement in asymmetric movement patterns (χ² = 0.75, p = 0.39). The mindfulness scores in the yoga group significantly exceeded those of the control group [F(1,78) = 13.56, p < 0.001, ŋp² = 0.15]. These results suggest that yoga intervention can improve functional movement patterns and mindfulness levels, but further evidence is needed to determine whether yoga could positively influence sports injuries.

The Effect of Trait Mindfulness on Teachers' Emotional Exhaustion: The Chain Mediating Role of Psychological Capital and Job Engagement

Emotional exhaustion has become an important occupational health problem faced by teachers, and it has seriously affected their mental health. It is necessary to pay attention to the factors that affect emotional exhaustion. In this study, 815 frontline university faculty were selected as subjects to explore the relationship between trait mindfulness and emotional exhaustion and the role of psychological capital and work engagement in this relation, using the trait mindfulness, psychological capital, work engagement, and emotional exhaustion scales. It was found that trait mindfulness and emotional exhaustion are negatively correlated; the mediating role of psychological capital between trait mindfulness and emotional exhaustion is not significant; the mediating role of work engagement between trait mindfulness and emotional exhaustion is significant; the chain mediation effect of psychological capital and work engagement between trait mindfulness and emotional exhaustion are significant.