Mindfulness training is associated with improved quality of life in female collegiate athletes.
S Anderson, K Haraldsdottir, J Sanfilippo, C McGehee, A Watson
Journal of American College Health October 19, 2023 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2252512 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 135 |
| Population | Female Division I collegiate athletes, ages 18-23 years |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Duration | 6-week intervention; HRQoL reported twice yearly from January 2017 to 2020 |
| Measures | Veterans Rand survey (VR-12), mental component score (MCS), physical component score (PCS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Quality of life Students Universities Adolescent Female Young adult Surveys and questionnaires Psychological Mental health College athletes |
| Key findings | Among female collegiate athletes, a 6-week group mindfulness training was associated with a significant improvement in the mental component score of the VR-12 (interaction β = 3.86), but no significant relationships were found for the physical component score. The authors conclude mindfulness training is associated with improved mental, but not physical, health-related quality of life. |
Abstract
Objective: To examine the effects of a mindfulness intervention on health-related quality of life in female Division I collegiate athletes.
Participants: 135 female collegiate athletes, ages 18 - 23 years.
Methods: Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was reported twice/year in approximately January and July from January 2017 to 2020 with the 12-question Veterans Rand survey (VR-12). Twenty-three of the participants received a 6-week, in-person, group mindfulness training in spring 2019, while 112 did not.
Results: A significant interaction between time and mindfulness was identified with respect to the mental component score of the VR-12 of the VR-12 (MCS; β = 3.86 ± 1 .56, p = 0.012) but no significant relationships were identified with respect to time (pre-mindfulness: β = -2.36 ± 1.38, p = 0.074), mindfulness (yes: β = -2.26 ± 1.54, p = 0.14) or season (winter: β = -0.84 ± 0.57, p = 0.14). With respect to the physical component score (PCS), no significant relationships were identified with respect to time (pre-mindfulness: β = -1.09 ± 1.21, p = 0.37), mindfulness (yes: β = 1.30 ± 1.31, p = 0.32), season (winter: β = 0.50 ± 0.50, p = 0.32), or the interaction between time and mindfulness (β = 0.35 ± 1 .36, p = 0.80).
Conclusions: Among female collegiate athletes, mindfulness training is associated with significant improvements in mental HRQoL, but not physical HRQoL.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- The role of mindfulness in improving quality of life among student-athletes: a pilot mediation study. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- Distress tolerance and decreased cognitive fusion tendencies explain the connection between mindfulness, posttraumatic growth and health-related quality of life among HIV patients. BMC Psychology February 25, 2026
Cites 5
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- The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 7, 2020