How mindfulness impacts perceived work stress among air traffic controllers: Evidence from Türkiye
Ali Kaya, Nisa Seçi̇lmi̇ş
International Journal of Aeronautics and Astronautics June 30, 2026 DOI: 10.55212/ijaa.1816748 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 335 |
| Population | Air traffic controllers working in Turkish airspace |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Air traffic control Occupational stress Psychological resilience Population Turkish Stress linguistics Work physics Applied psychology Resilience materials science Job performance Affect linguistics Aviation safety Aviation accident |
| Key findings | Mindfulness sub-dimensions (observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-reactivity) negatively correlated with work-related stress; acting with awareness was a significant predictor of lower work stress. |
Abstract
Air traffic controllers (ATCOs) perform one of the most cognitively and emotionally demanding professions in the aviation sector. This profession requires constant vigilance, rapid decision-making, and a high level of resilience under time pressure. These occupational demands often lead to elevated levels of work-related stress, which may compromise not only individual well-being but also organizational performance and aviation safety. Mindfulness, defined as a non-judgemental awareness of present experiences, has been proposed as a protective factor against stress. Although the relationship between mindfulness and job stress has been studied in different sectors and professional groups in the literature, there are very limited studies for ATCOs. This study investigates the relationship between mindfulness and perceived work stress among air traffic controllers in Türkiye. In this study, quantitative research method was used. The population of the study consists of air traffic controllers working in Turkish airspace. Data were collected through a survey from 335 air traffic controllers selected using convenience sampling and analyzed using appropriate statistical methods. According to the research findings, it was determined that there was a significant negative correlation between work related stress and the sub-dimensions of mindfulness, such as observing, defining, acting with awareness, and non-reactivity to internal experiences. In addition, acting with awareness was found to be a statistically significant predictor of work related stress.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cites 9
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- Measuring mindfulness Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
and 4 more in the library