Effect of a mindfulness programme training on mental toughness and psychological well-being of female athletes

Objectives Research has shown that mindfulness in athletes is associated with positive outcomes. We therefore assessed the effect of mindfulness training on increasing mental toughness (MT) and psychological well-being (PWB). Methods This was a parallel-group, pre-and post-test, randomised controlled pilot trial. Forty-five female athletes from Iranian universities in Tehran were randomly assigned into experimental (n = 23) and control groups (n = 22). Forty-two completed the trial. The mindfulness training group received the Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment programme for 7 weeks. All subjects completed the Mindfulness Inventory for Sport (MIS), Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire and PWB Scale. Data were analysed using mixed analysis of variance. Results Mindfulness training increased mindfulness in the experimental group (p < 0.01). In turn, increased mindfulness led to increased MT and PWB at 2-month follow-up (p < 0.05). Conclusions Given that mindfulness training may increase the MT and PWB of athletes, these techniques should be considered for inclusion in sports coaching.