Mindfulness training as a tool to enhance psychological resilience and speed decision-making in badminton referees
Taha Yousef Karim, Ahmed Sami Hassan, Mustafa Adnan Abdulrahman, Marwan Abdulnabi Hassan, Ahmed Khalil Mohammed
Tanjungpura Journal of Coaching Research November 2, 2025 DOI: 10.26418/tajor.v3i3.93958 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pre-post design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Badminton referees of different refereeing levels in Iraq |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 24 sessions |
| Measures | CD-RISC (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale), computerized decision-making speed measure |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Badminton referees Decision making speed Mental flexibility Mental training Mindfulness. |
| Key findings | Mindfulness training significantly improved psychological resilience and decision-making speed among badminton referees compared to a control group, with large effect sizes. The authors conclude that adding mindfulness training to referee programs effectively develops mental skills and helps referees remain calm and think properly during extreme stress. |
Abstract
Background and Study Aim. Competitive sport referees, in most cases, usually are cognitively demanding, and this can lead to their inability to focus, cope with their own feelings, and make good decisions. In badminton, where quick decision-making is inevitable, refereeing requires psychological resilience as well as quick decision-making. The objective of this research was to investigate the impact of a mindfulness-based training program on psychological resilience and decision-making speed among badminton referees in Iraq. Material and Methods. A quasi-experimental design with a pre-post design was used by the researcher on a sample of thirty referees of different refereeing levels, who were divided into two groups (experimental and control). Purposive sampling technique was utilized to obtain a sample of 30 referees. The experimental subjects underwent a mindfulness intervention of eight weeks, 24 sessions with conscious breathing, body scan, reflective pauses, and mental rehearsing of refereeing scenarios. The CD-RISC (Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale) and computerized decision-making speed measure were the assessment tools employed. Results. Statistical analysis showed significant gains in the experimental group over the control group in psychological resilience and decision-making speed, both with large effect sizes. The results show that mindfulness training is helpful for referees to stay calm and think properly during extreme stress. Conclusions. The current research makes a conclusion that adding mindfulness training to the training programs of referees effectively helps to develop mental skills in referees. The study adds to the scarce literature available on applying mindfulness to sports refereeing by providing an evidence-based model that can be used in many diverse.
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 |