Effects of a Mindfulness Intervention on Sports-Anxiety, Pessimism, and Flow in Competitive Cyclists.
John Scott-Hamilton, Nicola S. Schutte, Rhonda F Brown
Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being March 2016 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12063 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 47 |
| Population | Cyclists |
| Interventions | Mindfulness intervention Mindful spin-bike training |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Athletes Cyclists Flow Pessimism |
| Key findings | Mindfulness training produced significant positive effects on mindfulness, flow, and sport-specific pessimism for the 27 cyclists in the intervention group compared with the 20 wait-list controls, and changes in mindfulness were positively associated with changes in flow. The authors suggest that mindfulness-based interventions tailored to specific athletic pursuits can be effective in facilitating flow experiences. |
Abstract
This study investigated whether mindfulness training increases athletes' mindfulness and flow experience and decreases sport-specific anxiety and sport-specific pessimism. Cyclists were assigned to an eight-week mindfulness intervention, which incorporated a mindful spin-bike training component, or a wait-list control condition. Participants completed baseline and post-test measures of mindfulness, flow, sport-anxiety, and sport-related pessimistic attributions. Analyses of covariance showed significant positive effects on mindfulness, flow, and pessimism for the 27 cyclists in the mindfulness intervention condition compared with the 20 cyclists in the control condition. Changes in mindfulness experienced by the intervention participants were positively associated with changes in flow. Results suggest that mindfulness-based interventions tailored to specific athletic pursuits can be effective in facilitating flow experiences.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
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- Effect of yoga and mindfulness on psychological correlates in young athletes: A meta-analysis. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine 2023
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- Differentiating mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy clinically: the why, how, and what of evidence-based practice. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
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Cites 12
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- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
and 7 more in the library