The Mediating Role of Mental Well-Being in The Effect of Mindfulness on Happiness among Athletes
Ahmet Dönmez, Abdulkadir Yildiz, Sinem Toçoğlu, Engin Vural, Sezgin Hepsert
Avrasya Spor Bilimleri ve Eğitim Dergisi September 27, 2026 DOI: 10.47778/ejsse.185 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Correlational survey study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 416 |
| Population | Athletes (173 women, 243 men) |
| Measures | Mindfulness Scale, Mental Well-Being Scale, Oxford Happiness Scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness, mental well-being, and happiness were positively correlated among athletes. Mindfulness predicted mental well-being (4.4% of variance) and, together with mental well-being, predicted happiness (41.2% of variance). Mental well-being partially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and happiness, leading the authors to suggest that promoting mindfulness and mental well-being may support athletes' happiness. |
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of mental well-being in the effect of mindfulness on happiness among athletes.
Method: A total of 416 athletes—173 women and 243 men—participated in the study, which was based on a correlational survey model. The “Personal Information Form,” “Mindfulness Scale,” “Mental Well-Being Scale,” and “Oxford Happiness Scale” were used to collect data in the study. Pearson correlation and the PROCESS Macro were used to conduct regression-based mediation analysis in the evaluation of the data.
Findings: An analysis of the research findings revealed significant positive correlations between mindfulness and mental well-being, between mindfulness and happiness, and between mental well-being and happiness. Mindfulness significantly predicted mental well-being and accounted for 4.4% of the variance in mental well-being. Additionally, mindfulness and mental well-being significantly predicted happiness and together explained 41.2% of the variance in the happiness variable. The results of the mediation analysis indicated that mental well-being plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between mindfulness and happiness.
Conclusion: The study concluded that mindfulness is a significant predictor of happiness among athletes and that this effect is partially mediated by mental well-being. The findings suggest that promoting mindfulness and mental well-being may be important in interventions aimed at enhancing athletes’ happiness.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |