Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Using Wavelet Entropy to Demonstrate how Mindfulness Practice Increases Coordination between Irregular Cerebral and Cardiac Activities
Published on: May 10, 2017
Investigating the relationships between physical activity, mindful self-compassion, and well-being among Chinese
Ming Yu Claudia Wong1, Ana Cláudia Mesquita-Garcia2, Hong Wang Fung3
1Department of Health and Physical Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Background:
Physical activity is widely recognised as beneficial for well‑being, yet the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship, particularly those involving mindfulness and self‑compassion, remain insufficiently examined. The Exercise and Self‑Esteem Model with Self‑Compassion (EXSEM‑SC) highlights the roles of exercise self‑efficacy and body compassion in fostering self‑compassion, but it does not address the contributions of mindfulness and interoceptive body awareness in mitigating self‑criticism associated with discomfort, inadequacy, or doubt during activity.
Purpose:
To address this gap, the present cross‑sectional study conducted in Hong Kong integrated the Mindful and Compassionate Awareness Scale for Physical Activity (MCA‑PA) to investigate associations among physical activity, MCA‑PA, self‑compassion, and well‑being.
Methods And Results:
Data were collected from 414 secondary school students (44.9% female; M = 14.95 years, SD = 1.60), and structural equation modelling confirmed that MCA‑PA and self‑compassion mediated the relationship between physical activity and well‑being, with no gender differences (CFI = 0.97, SRMR = 0.039, RMSEA = 0.065, 90% CI [0.00, 0.13]).
Conclusion:
These findings underscore the importance of mindfulness and self‑compassion in explaining how physical activity enhances well‑being, suggesting that health promotion programs in educational and broader contexts should incorporate practices that cultivate mindful and compassionate awareness to strengthen psychological outcomes and support healthy behaviours.
Related Concept Videos
Compass
Design Example: Marking Boundaries of a Site Using a Compass
Trait and State Self-Esteem
Relationship Formation
Structure-Activity Relationships and Drug Design
SAR studies the intricate relationship between a drug's chemical structure and biological activity. It focuses on understanding how modifications to a drug's structure can influence...
Self-Esteem

