Do brief mindfulness-based interventions improve sport-related performance? A systematic review

Background: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are psychological skills training approaches that are well recognized for enhancing psychological factors that influence sports performance. However, some factors, such as time commitment, cost, and accessibility required for traditional MBIs, can be a barrier to regular practice. As a result, brief MBIs with a duration of ≤ 30 min have gained popularity. This systematic review aims to explore the effect of brief MBIs on short sport-related performance.

Method: A comprehensive search was conducted in five databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and EBSCOhost, for articles published up to 14 November 2025. The search utilized a combination of keywords related to brief MBIs and sport-related performance. The methodological quality of included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool.

Results: Ten randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. Overall, brief MBIs demonstrated beneficial effects on several short sport-related performance outcomes, particularly precision-based motor skills. Significant improvements were observed in golf putting, hand grip strength, basketball tactical performance, and in some cases basketball free-throw shooting and soccer penalty kicks. However, results for basketball free-throw accuracy were mixed, and no significant effects were found for muscular endurance. The interventions varied in type, duration, and delivery mode, with most employing 4-30 min of audio-guided mindfulness practices. Risk of bias across studies was generally low, though inadequate reporting of randomization procedures was the most common concern.

Conclusion: Brief MBIs lasting 30 min or less may induce short-term enhancements in certain domains of sport-related performance, particularly in tasks requiring attentional stability, fine motor control, and decision-making. However, these effects appear to be acute in nature, evidence remains inconsistent across sport types, and conclusions are limited by the small number of available studies. Future research should adopt standardized mindfulness assessments, include a broader range of physical performance indicators and relevant physiological measures to better elucidate the mechanisms underlying short-term brief MBIs effects in real competitive environments. Systematic review

Registration: https://inplasy.com/, INPLASY2022120086.