Living your best life: The mindful pursuit of student-athlete thriving

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajsep.2023.09.004
• Publication Date: 2023-09-29T14:43:37Z
• Authors: Andrew Augustus; Sam Zizzi; Dana Voelker; Blake Costalupes
• Keywords: Thriving; Vitality

Thriving, or the concurrent experience of healthy well-being and high-level performance, may serve as a valuable construct when studying optimal student-athlete experience. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to positively impact yet these rarely use thriving an outcome variable with athletes. The purpose present study began examine MBI for improving experiences via quasi-experimental longitudinal design. College athletes from United States (n = 55) three sports were randomly assigned either control 7-session MBI. While comprehensive measures did not yield significant change those in relative control, multiple characteristics outcomes improved after intervention compared group. participants reported improvement subjective performance satisfaction, mindful awareness, mindfulness regulate emotions. Exploratory analysis revealed MBI, experienced improvements optimism sense meaning purpose. Student-athletes qualitatively sport life benefits related (e.g., self-regulation, focus, vitality, intentional actions) while also suggesting MBIs systematic reminders meditate, more meditation opportunities within environment, autonomy-supportive instruction. These preliminary data support facilitate thriving, offering suggestions practical implementing student-athletes.