An App-Based Loving-Kindness Training to Facilitate Compassion, Team Cohesion, and Fairness
Lukas Stenzel, Moritz Konsemüller, Shu Ling Tan, Melissa Röcken, Simon Borgmann, Nils Thomsen, Oliver Stoll
Zeitschrift für Sportpsychologie October 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1026/1612-5010/a000345 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 33 |
| Population | Athletes in a soccer academy |
| Interventions | Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) |
| Duration | 1 week |
| Key findings | Contrary to the hypothesis, no interaction effect was found: athletes practicing loving-kindness meditation did not demonstrate greater compassion, fairness, or team cohesion after the intervention than those practicing progressive muscle relaxation. The authors conclude LKM was as accepted as PMR by the study cohort and suggest future LKM interventions include substantial interaction parts and consider person-by-context interactions. |
Abstract
Abstract. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design, in which the experimental group ( n = 13) practiced a loving-kindness meditation (LKM) via a single in-person workshop and via an app, whereas the active control group ( n = 20) practiced progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Both interventions lasted 1 week and were executed in the respective soccer academy. The groups completed a pre- and posttest measuring compassion, fairness, and team cohesion. In contrast to our hypothesis, we did not find an interaction effect. LKM athletes did not demonstrate greater cohesion, fairness, and compassion after the intervention than the PMR athletes. By comparing user engagement and user rating between LKM and PMR, we conclude that LKM is as accepted as PMR by the study cohort. We suggest implementing future LKM interventions with substantial interaction parts and considering specific person-by-context interactions.
Citations in the library
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