The relationship between mindfulness, competitive anxiety, and self-efficacy in Taekwondo athletes with/without injury: The moderated mediation model.
Jeffrey Yu, Jui-Ti Nien, Mu-Yen Chu, Yi-Zhen Yang, Yi-Chih Ko, Yun-Han Chen, Nai-Chi Chen, Yu-Kai Chang
Psychology of Sport And Exercise January 20, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2026.103080 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey with moderated mediation analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 105 |
| Population | Collegiate Taekwondo athletes |
| Topics | Meditation Anxiety |
| Keywords | Combat sports Injured Self-regulation Stress |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness enhances pre-event self-efficacy by reducing cognitive anxiety, and this effect on cognitive anxiety is stronger among injured athletes. |
Abstract
Combat sports athletes are exposed to higher rates of injury, often resulting in increased anxiety and decreased pre-event self-efficacy. Mindfulness may serve as a protective buffer against these psychological effects. This study aimed to examine the relationship between athletic mindfulness and pre-event self-efficacy through competitive anxiety, as well as the moderating role of injury status among Taekwondo athletes. Collegiate Taekwondo athletes (N = 105) completed measures of athletic mindfulness, competitive anxiety, pre-event self-efficacy, and injury status prior to a national competition. A moderated mediation model was tested using PROCESS Models 4 and 59. Athletic mindfulness significantly predicted pre-event self-efficacy through cognitive anxiety. Although injury status did not moderate the overall mediation pathway, it moderated the relationship between athletic mindfulness and cognitive anxiety. These findings suggest a pathway through which mindfulness enhances pre-event self-efficacy by reducing cognitive anxiety among combat sports athletes. Regardless of its moderation of the mediation effect, injury status revealed that mindfulness exerted a stronger influence on reducing cognitive anxiety among injured athletes.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety. International sample of people who reported having used a psychedelic | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 985 |
| The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms Internet survey respondents reporting challenging experiences with psilocybin | 2016 | Questionnaire development and validation | |
| Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study Adult population in the United States | 2013 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 130,152 |
| Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Ecstasy users who participated in a WWW study of recreational drug use | 2002 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 282 |
| 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) used in a naturalistic group setting is associated with unintended improvements in depression and anxiety. Adults who used 5-MeO-DMT in a group setting with structured procedures | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 362 |
Citations in the library
Cites 14
- From Self-Esteem to Selflessness: An Evidence (Gap) Map of Self-Related Processes as Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Interventions Frontiers in Psychology November 22, 2021
- The effectiveness and applicability of mindfulness intervention in psychological adaptation after sports injury: a systematic review. Australian Journal of Psychology 2024
- Effects of mindfulness intervention on competition state anxiety in sprinters—a randomized controlled trial Frontiers in Psychology October 31, 2024
- Mindfulness and Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy of Injured Athletes Returning to Sports: The Mediating Role of Competitive State Anxiety and Athlete Burnout International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health September 1, 2022
- Mindfulness as a Protective Factor Against Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Emotion Regulation and Insomnia Symptoms as Mediators Frontiers in Psychology April 1, 2022
and 9 more in the library