The impact of mindfulness intervention on emotion regulation in athletes: a meta-analysis

Athletes frequently encounter considerable emotional challenges during high-intensity training and competition. Effective emotion regulation is essential not only for athletic performance but also for long-term mental health and career longevity. Although mindfulness interventions have been increasingly applied in sport psychology, their effects on athletes' emotion regulation have not been comprehensively evaluated. This meta-analysis therefore examined the effects of mindfulness interventions on emotion regulation among athletes.

Seven eligible studies involving 273 participants were synthesized to evaluate the effects of mindfulness interventions on athletes' emotion regulation.

Mindfulness interventions produced a statistically significant, moderate effect on athletes' emotion regulation (Hedges' g = 0.81, 95% CI [0.51, 1.11], p < 0.0001). Egger's regression test was not statistically significant (p > 0.05); however, this finding provides limited reassurance because the test has low statistical power when fewer than 10 studies are included.

The overall estimate was based on only seven studies, and the direct comparison between Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment training and Psychological Skills Training was based on only three studies. The findings should therefore be considered preliminary and require confirmation in larger, higher-quality randomized controlled trials. Future research should examine diverse athlete populations and intervention conditions to clarify how mindfulness-based and traditional psychological training approaches contribute to athletes' emotion regulation and psychological functioning.

PROSPERO. Registration number: CRD420261340782. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42026134078.