Exploring Mindfulness and Self-Compassion as Mental Health Resources for High-Performance Coaches in Canada.

Abstract

High-performance coaches, much like the athletes they work with, are performers who face significant stressors that challenge their mental health. This study explores mindfulness and self-compassion as potential resources to support coaches in managing these demands. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, qualitative discussions with six high-performance coaches revealed contextual demands and varied perceptions of these resources. Quantitative analysis of survey responses from 78 high-performance coaches demonstrated that self-compassion uniquely predicted mental ill-health (i.e., burnout) beyond mindfulness (Δ R2 = .10, p < .001), while mindfulness uniquely predicted mental well-being (i.e., thriving) beyond self-compassion (Δ R2 = .09, p = .003). These findings suggest that mindfulness and self-compassion may play complementary roles in supporting both positive and negative aspects of mental health. This research highlights the potential value of incorporating these resources into mental health programs for high-performance coaches and encourages further exploration of their application in elite sport settings.