Short-term mindfulness intervention mitigates mental fatigue effects on basketball technical performance
Shudian Cao, Soh Kim Geok, Zi Wang, Jia Liu
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications July 9, 2026 DOI: 10.1057/s41599-026-08276-8 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 30-minute audio mindfulness intervention reduced the negative effects of mental fatigue on basketball technical performance. In a cluster randomized controlled trial, 54 male basketball players aged 18–24 were assigned to a control group, a mental fatigue group, or a mental fatigue group that received the mindfulness intervention. Mental fatigue was induced with a 30-minute Stroop task. The mindfulness group reported lower perceived fatigue and showed better performance on points, rebounds, and field goal percentage compared with the mental fatigue group. No significant differences in motivation or mood were observed. The authors suggest the intervention may help but caution against generalizing to real competitions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cluster randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 54 |
| Population | Male basketball players aged 18–24 from three universities |
| Intervention | short-term audio mindfulness intervention |
| Dose | 30-minute session |
| Duration | Single session; no follow-up reported |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Basketball Intervention counseling Mental fatigue Mental health |
| Key finding | A 30-minute short-term audio mindfulness intervention attenuated mental fatigue-induced declines in basketball technical performance (points, rebounds, field goal percentage) and attention compared with a mental fatigue group. |
Abstract
Mental fatigue (MF) negatively affects athletes’ performance, particularly in basketball, where decision-making and technical skills are crucial. This study aims to examine whether a 30-min short-term audio mindfulness intervention could mitigate MF-induced decline in basketball technical performance. This study employed the cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) design. A total of 54 male basketball players aged 18–24 were recruited from three universities and randomly assigned into a control group (CG), mental fatigue group (MFG), and mental fatigue-mindfulness group (MF-MG). A 30-min Stroop task was first used to induce MF in the MFG and MF-MG. Subsequently, participants in the MF-MG received a 30-min short-term audio mindfulness intervention. MF was associated with reduced attention and several technical performance indicators (points, rebounds, and field goal percentage) compared with the CG. In contrast, the short-term mindfulness group reported lower perceived MF and showed better performance on these indicators compared with the MFG ( p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in motivation or mood among groups. The findings suggest that a short-term mindfulness intervention may help attenuate the negative effects of MF on basketball technical performance and attention in a controlled experimental setting. However, these results should be considered preliminary, and caution is warranted when generalizing to real competitive environments.