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Effect of mindfulness-based programmes on elite athlete mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Effect of mindfulness-based programmes on elite athlete mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Myall, Kearnan, Montero-Marin, Jesus, Gorczynski, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8876-8935, Kajee, Nabeela, Syed Sheriff, Rebecca, Bernard, Robert, Harriss, Elinor and Kuyken, Willem (2022) Effect of mindfulness-based programmes on elite athlete mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57 (2). pp. 99-108. ISSN 0306-3674 (Print), 1473-0480 (Online) (doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-105596)

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Abstract

Objectives
To determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programmes (MBPs) on the mental health of elite athletes.
Design
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Data sources
Eight online databases (Embase; PsycINFO; SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE; Scopus; Cochrane CENTRAL; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses; Google Scholar), plus forwards and backwards searching from included studies and previous systematic reviews.
Eligibility criteria for selecting studies
Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared a MBP against a control, in current or former elite athletes.
Results
Of 2,386 articles identified, 12 RCTs were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis, comprising a total of 614 elite athletes (314 MBP; 300 controls). Overall, MBPs improved mental health, with large significant pooled effect sizes for reducing symptoms of anxiety (hedges g = -0.87, number of studies (n) = 6, p = .02, I2 = 90) and stress (g = -0.91, n = 5, p = .01, I2 = 74) and increasing psychological wellbeing (g = 0.96, n = 5, p = .04, I2 = 89). Overall, the risk of bias and certainty of evidence was moderate, and all findings were subject to high estimated levels of heterogeneity.
Conclusion
MBPs improved several mental health outcomes. Given the moderate degree of evidence, high quality adequately powered trials are required in the future. These studies should emphasise intervention fidelity, teacher competence, and scalability within elite sport.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: mindfulness-based programme; athlete; mental health; systematic review; meta-analysis
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences
Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM)
Last Modified: 16 Jan 2023 14:27
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/37560

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