Mindfulness techniques for athletic excellence: the mediating role of mental resilience and moderating effect of emotional intelligence.
Qi Qi
Frontiers in Psychology 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1556619 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 332 |
| Population | Athletes in China |
| Duration | Three waves |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Athletic performance Awareness Emotional intelligence Focused attention Mental resilience Non-judgmental acceptance Mindfulness: mindfulness techniques Mindfulness training Mental fortitude Overall achievement |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness techniques enhance athletic performance partially through increased mental resilience, and emotional intelligence strengthens this pathway. |
Abstract
The study anchors on the conservation of resource theory and examines the impact of mindfulness techniques on athletic performance through the mediating role of mental resilience and the moderating effect of emotional intelligence. Data were collected from 332 athletes in China using a time-lagged survey method over three waves. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results demonstrate that awareness, non-judgmental acceptance, and focused attention, as dimensions of mindfulness, significantly enhance mental resilience. In turn, mental resilience positively influences athletic performance. Additionally, emotional intelligence moderates the relationship between mindfulness techniques and mental resilience, as well as between mindfulness techniques and athletic performance. The mediation analysis confirms that mental resilience partially mediates the relationship between mindfulness and athletic performance. The goodness-of-fit index (GFI) confirms the adequacy of the model. These findings contribute to the understanding of how mindfulness and emotional intelligence interplay to foster mental resilience and enhance athletic outcomes. Practical implications for coaches and sports psychologists are discussed from the perspective of physical education, suggesting that targeted mindfulness and emotional intelligence interventions may improve athletes' performance and well-being.
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
- Effects of an 8-week Mindfulness–Acceptance–Commitment intervention on competitive anxiety, mindfulness, and 200-m sprint performance in junior female sprinters: a quasi-experimental study Sport Sciences for Health September 1, 2026
- Closed-loop model of mindfulness-based psychological regulation in competitive performance Frontiers in Psychology April 24, 2026
Cites 9
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- The relationship between mindfulness and athletes' mental skills may be explained by emotion regulation and self-regulation. BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation March 19, 2024
- Mindfulness for Young Athletes. Sports Health November 7, 2023
- Effect of brief mindfulness and relaxation inductions on anxiety, affect and brain activation in athletes. Psychology of Sport And Exercise March 1, 2023
and 4 more in the library