Mobile-based mindfulness meditation intervention's impact on mental health among young male judo athletes in South Korea: a quasi-experimental study.
Ye Hoon Lee, Weisheng Chiu, Juhee Hwang, Sihyeon Noh
Scientific Reports June 3, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63637-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post test with control group Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 53 |
| Population | Young male judo athletes in South Korea |
| Intervention | mobile-delivered mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Depressive symptoms Mind–body exercise Resilience Self-esteem Stress |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key points | Mobile-delivered mindfulness meditation significantly reduced depression, perceived stress, and anxiety, and increased self-esteem in young male judo athletes. |
Abstract
Young athletes commonly encounter various mental health challenges due to the distinct pressures inherent in sports environments. This study investigates the effectiveness of mobile-delivered mindfulness meditation interventions in alleviating mental health indicators of depression, perceived stress, and anxiety, and enhancing self-esteem and resilience among young male judo athletes in South Korea. Pre- and post-test questionnaires were completed by 53 judo athletes. Participants were then allocated to the intervention group (N = 27; Mage = 13.77 [SD = 1.11]), which used a mobile meditation software program, or the control group (N = 27; Mage = 13.56 [SD = 1.05]). Data analysis compared intervention and control group scores using multiple statistical methods, including independent sample t-tests, paired sample t-tests, and 2 (time) × 2 (group) repeated measures analysis of variance. Following the intervention, the mindfulness group exhibited significant enhancements in the mental health indicators of depression (GMD = 2.74 [95% CI 0.90-4.56], Cohen's D = 0.84), perceived stress (GMD = 0.35 [95% CI 0.002-0.70], Cohen's D = 0.56), and anxiety (GMD = 0.2 [95% CI 0.001-0.40, Cohen's D = 0.56]. Self-esteem also had a significant increase (GMD = 0.55 [95% CI - 0.22 to - 0.88], Cohen's D = 0.95). The findings of this study underscore the potential benefits of mobile-delivered mindfulness meditation interventions in addressing mental health challenges among young male judo athletes. The significant enhancements observed in scores on measures of depression, perceived stress, anxiety, and self-esteem among participants in the mindfulness group highlight the effectiveness of such interventions in promoting mental health in sports settings.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Barriers and Facilitators to Meditation: Empirical Research Qualitative OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine June 23, 2025
- Mindfulness training modulates EEG oscillations and improves shooting accuracy in competitive stress. Frontiers in Psychology May 18, 2026
- Mental Resilience and Mindfulness in Athletes: A Preliminary Study Across Sports and Experience Levels Sports October 1, 2025
Cites 9
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Upper secondary school students’ compliance with two Internet-based self-help programmes: a randomised controlled trial European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry August 3, 2017
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Benefits Psychological Well-Being, Sleep Quality, and Athletic Performance in Female Collegiate Rowers Frontiers in Psychology September 1, 2020
- Effects of Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) on Sport-Specific Dispositional Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, and Self-Rated Athletic Performance in a Multiple-Sport Population: an RCT Study Mindfulness February 13, 2019
and 4 more in the library