The roles of readiness and dosage in predicting outcomes of a mindful sport performance enhancement intervention with U.S. college student-athletes.
Thomas O. Minkler, Samuel J Zizzi, D Jake Follmer
Psychology of Sport And Exercise 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102539 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Non-randomized control group design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 57 |
| Population | U.S. collegiate athletes from two universities in the Appalachian region |
| Intervention | Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement |
| Duration | 6-week follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Dosage Mspe Readiness Student-athlete |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key points | Post-intervention readiness, but not pre-intervention readiness, was associated with improvements in mindfulness, life satisfaction, sport enjoyment, and engagement in mindfulness practice. |
Abstract
Research suggests that Mindfulness- and Acceptance-Based Interventions (MABIs) can impact sport performance and performance-relevant factors, though questions remain regarding when and for whom MABIs are effective. Specifically, inquiries into intervention engagement (i.e., dosage), potentially impacted by participant readiness, are needed. The present study utilized a non-randomized control group design with U.S. collegiate athletes to investigate MABI effects. Four teams from two universities in the Appalachian region (N = 57) engaged in Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) interventions during their offseason or pre-season training period. Participants were assessed on flow, psychological distress, mindfulness, emotion regulation difficulties, life satisfaction, readiness to practice mindfulness, attitudes toward sport psychology, and sport performance and enjoyment. Mindfulness dosage was measured weekly via self-report. Compared to controls, initial MSPE participants reported reductions in depressive symptoms and emotion regulation difficulties, and improvements in self-rated sport performance; at 6-week follow-up, initial MSPE participants reported significant increases in mindfulness and sport enjoyment, in addition to sustained reductions in emotion regulation difficulties. Pre-intervention readiness was not associated with changes across the intervention, though higher post-intervention readiness was associated with improvements in mindfulness, life satisfaction, and sport enjoyment. Higher post-intervention readiness was also associated with significantly more engagement (i.e., dosage), though no evidence indicated that dosage moderated the relationship between readiness and outcomes. These data suggest that post-intervention readiness may impact long-term engagement in mindfulness practice, and that pre-intervention readiness may not be an accurate indicator of engagement in or outcomes of an MABI with athletes.
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 4
- Effects of mindfulness intervention on competition state anxiety in sprinters—a randomized controlled trial Frontiers in Psychology October 31, 2024
- A systematic review of the mindful sport performance enhancement program International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology July 12, 2025
- The impact of mindfulness intervention on emotion regulation in athletes: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology July 23, 2026
- A Systematic Review of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Its Effects on Mental Health and Academic Performance in University Students The Open Psychology Journal July 21, 2025
Cites 17
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- The Contribution of Common and Specific Therapeutic Factors to Mindfulness-Based Intervention Outcomes Frontiers in Psychology January 14, 2021
- Short-Form Mindfulness Training Protects Against Working Memory Degradation over High-Demand Intervals Journal of Cognitive Enhancement June 1, 2017
- A rowing-specific mindfulness intervention: Effects on mindfulness, flow, reinvestment, and performance Frontiers in Psychology September 7, 2022
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression. Industrial Psychiatry Journal October 29, 2024
and 12 more in the library