Title:
Moderators of a mindfulness intervention for college athletes
Author:
Chelsey N. Foster
Thesis Advisor:
Mary Jo Coiro
Committee Member:
Marianna E. Carlucci
Committee Member:
Gina Magyar-Russell
Committee Member:
Frank D. Golom
Committee Member:
Jason Parcover
Degree Granting Institution:
Loyola University Maryland--College of Arts and Sciences
Place:
Baltimore (Md.)
Publisher:
Loyola University Maryland
Date Created:
2024
Type of Resource:
text
Genre:
thesis
Language:
eng
Format:
application/pdf
Physical Form:
electronic
Digital Source:
born digital
Abstract:
College athletes experience unique stressors related to their commitment to both academic and athletic pursuits, and exhibit similar or lower overall levels of psychological symptoms compared to non-athletes. There is some evidence that higher levels of religiousness and spirituality in college athletes are associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety. Further, the limited studies available in this population suggest a positive association of these dimensions with performance-supporting mindsets, such as flow state and athletic coping. Mindfulness appears to be related to both religiousness and spirituality in the college student population, though it is difficult to clearly understand the relationships between the three concepts due to the inconsistency of operational definitions used in the literature. Mindfulness interventions are effective in decreasing symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among college athletes. Although several moderators of these effects among college students have been identified, it is unclear whether religious or spiritual students benefited more from these interventions. The current study examined the relation of religiousness and spirituality with college athletes’ mental health and levels of mindfulness; and whether religiousness and spirituality moderate the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness-based intervention for student-athletes. Participants were 62 NCAA Division I college athletes who completed ratings of mindfulness, depression, anxiety and stress prior to and immediately after a three-week mindfulness intervention, and at four-week follow-up. Results indicated a significant positive relationship between religious commitment, spiritual maturity, and mindfulness, as hypothesized. However, the mindfulness intervention did not result in significant improvements in mental health from baseline to post-intervention, and no moderation effects were detected. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.
Subject:
Academic theses
Subject:
Electronic dissertations
Subject:
Thèses et écrits académiques
Subject:
Thèses électroniques
Subject:
dissertations
Degree:
Doctor of Clinical Psychology
Level:
Doctoral
Discipline:
Psychology
Restrictions on Access:
Author has given permission to make this work available online.
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Identifier:
FosterCN-24
