A multiple mediation analysis of the association between asynchronous use of music and running performance

The purpose of this study was to examine if the effects of asynchronous use of music on running performance are directly and/or indirectly carried through psychological, psychophysical, and psychophysiological benefits. Following a standardized music selection procedure, 20 healthy undergraduate students (10 males, 10 females) completed a 30-min treadmill run at perceived moderate intensity while listening to music (135-140 beats per minute) or under a no-music condition in a randomized order. Participants' affective valence, arousal, perceived exertion, heart rate during the run, and running distance were measured in both trials. A mediation analysis was conducted for 40 data collected from the 20 participants under two conditions (no music; music) with a parallel mediation model in which affective valence, arousal, heart rate, and perceived exertion were specified as mediators. A significant indirect effect of affective valence was observed for running distance. The present finding supports the notion that the relationship between asynchronous use of music and running distance is mediated by psychological benefits.