Skip to content

A Stratified Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Training on Endurance Performance: Moderating Role of Frontal Alpha Asymmetry Response to Distress

Dong-Tai Chen, Jui-Ti Nien, Hsueh-Chih Chen, D. L. Gill, Yun-Rui Yang, Wei-Li Hsieh, Tsung-Min Hung, Yu-Kai Chang

Mindfulness April 22, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-026-02842-6 (opens in new tab)

Read Full Text
Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 60
Population Endurance athletes
Intervention Mindfulness training
Duration 8-week intervention
Topics Meditation
Registration NCT05612295
Key findings Mindfulness training increased time-to-exhaustion compared with wait-list control, and this effect was moderated by frontal alpha asymmetry response to distress, with greater improvements among athletes showing relatively higher left frontal alpha power in response to distress.

Abstract

Mindfulness training improves endurance performance, and athletes susceptible to negative emotions may benefit most. EEG frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) is a real-time biomarker reflecting emotional responses to distress, with higher left frontal alpha power indicating more negative emotional responses. This study combined psychological and electrophysiological approaches to examine the effect of mindfulness training on endurance performance and whether FAA response to distress serves as a moderator. Sixty endurance athletes were stratified randomized to an eight-week mindfulness training group (MT) or wait-list control group (WLC). Time-to-exhaustion (TTE) during the endurance task was assessed pre- and post-intervention, and frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) to distress was measured at pre-intervention as a moderator. The mindfulness training effect on TTE was analyzed via one-way ANCOVA, controlling for relevant baseline covariates. FAA response to distress's moderating role was examined using Hayes PROCESS macro model 1. The MT showed longer TTE at post-intervention compared with the WLC (p = 0.023). This effect was moderated by FAA responses to distress (p = 0.009), with MT demonstrating greater improvements in TTE among athletes exhibiting relatively higher left frontal alpha power in response to distress. Emotional responses to distress moderate the effect of mindfulness training on endurance performance, suggesting that mindfulness training is a promising approach for endurance performance, particularly for athletes with heightened negative emotional responses to distress. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05612295.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment 2003 Randomized controlled trial n = 41
Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2000 Randomized controlled trial n = 145
Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults 2008 Randomized controlled trial n = 139
Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students 2007 Randomized controlled trial n = 40
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2004 Randomized controlled trial n = 73

Citations in the library

Cited by 1

Cites 15

and 10 more in the library

Related reading

Explore topics

Meditation