Mindfulness-based intervention for tennis players: a quasi-experimental pilot study

Area of Science:

• Sports Psychology
• Mindfulness Interventions
• Performance Psychology

Background:

• Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are recognized for enhancing psychological and physiological parameters in athletes.
• Previous research indicates MBIs can lead to higher mindfulness scores.
• The efficacy of MBIs in specific sports contexts, like tennis, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a novel seven-session MBI, named 'mindful', on German tennis players.
• To assess changes in athletic performance and psychological indicators following the intervention.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post test design was employed with both an intervention group and a control group.
• Measurements included athletic performance (serve accuracy) and psychological indicators (mindfulness, stress, competition anxiety).
• Data were collected before and after the mindfulness-based stress reduction training.

Main Results:

• The intervention group demonstrated a significant improvement in reducing concentration disturbances, a key factor in sport-related anxiety.
• No significant differences were observed in other measured parameters between the groups.
• Preliminary findings suggest a specific benefit for anxiety-related cognitive aspects.

Conclusions:

• The 'mindful' intervention shows promise in mitigating concentration disturbances in tennis players.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is necessary to confirm these findings.
• This study highlights the potential of MBIs in competitive sports settings.