Effectiveness of four components of mindfulness based on acceptance and commitment (MAC) on cognitive and physical anxiety of female athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic
Mahdi Fahimi, Mohsen Akbarpour Beni, Melinaz Rahman Gholhaki̇, M Bayat
Turkish Journal of Kinesiology August 27, 2023 DOI: 10.31459/turkjkin.1316135 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 50 |
| Population | Female fitness (aerobic) athletes, mean age 25.14 years (SD 1.5) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based acceptance/commitment (MAC) |
| Duration | 8 weeks (16 sessions, 90 minutes each) |
| Measures | Kentucky Mindfulness Inventory (KIMS), Smith Anxiety Inventory |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | A mindfulness-based acceptance/commitment (MAC) intervention produced significant group-by-time interaction effects on all outcomes, reducing cognitive and physical anxiety in female fitness athletes relative to an active control group whose outcomes remained relatively stable. The authors report that the Observational and Descriptive aspects of mindfulness were more effective in reducing cognitive anxiety than physical anxiety, and argue MAC is among the best systematic approaches to mindfulness training in sport psychology. |
Abstract
The aim of the study was to test whether mindfulness based acceptance/commitment (MAC) could reduce cognitive-physical anxiety of female athletes to an active control group. This study was a semi-experimental design, Randomized controlled trail with an 8 week (16 sessions, 90 min each) and the active control group. Fifty female fitness athletes (Mage=25.14; SD=1.5) were randomly assigned either to MAC intervention or active control condition. All participations completed Kentucky Mindfulness Inventory (KIMS) and Smith Anxiety Inventory. MANOVA analyses were used to assess time by interactions. Significant value by group interaction effects were found for all outcomes. In the MAC group, Observational and Descriptive Aspects of Mindfulness are more effective in reducing cognitive anxiety rather than physical anxiety. In the active control group, the outcomes remained relatively stable. The present finding suggest that among female aerobic athletics, a MAC intervention has the potential to reduce cognitive and physical anxiety by increase observational and descriptive aspects more than Act with awareness, Accept without judgment aspects. The MAC model is one of the best systematic approaches to mindfulness training in sport psychology and has positive impact on performance, as well as the overall development of mental health and well-being.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Influence of Mindfulness on Levels of Impulsiveness, Moods and Pre-Competition Anxiety in Athletes of Different Sports. Healthcare March 21, 2023
- Effects of Mindfulness for Performance Programme on Actual Performance in Ecological Sport Context: Two Studies in Basketball and Table Tennis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health October 10, 2022
- Mindfulness and Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy of Injured Athletes Returning to Sports: The Mediating Role of Competitive State Anxiety and Athlete Burnout International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health September 1, 2022
- Effect of Mindfulness Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) to Reduce competitive state anxiety on Karate Athletes Jurnal Sportif August 30, 2022
and 1 more in the library