Online Dispositional Flow Enhancement Training for Chinese Recreational Runners: A Single-Group Mixed-method Evaluation

Abstract

Background : There are limited studies examining the effectiveness of Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) on dispositional fl ow enhancement in the recreational population. This is the fi rst empirical evaluation of an online 4-week MSPE designed to enhance dispositional fl ow in Chinese recreational runners. Method : In this mixed-method study, a convergent design approach was adopted to examine the acceptability and effectiveness of the 4-week online MSPE in Chinese recreational runners (N ¼ 41). The quantitative strand was designed with a single-group pre-test and post-test model in which the dispositional fl ow was assessed at 2 time points (i.e., pre and post) using the Chinese Dispositional Flow Scale e 2 (DFS-2). After fi nishing the 4-week long online sessions, semi-structured interviews (N ¼ 15) were conducted, and a re fl exive thematic analysis (re fl exive TA) was utilized to analyze qualitative data. Results : Chinese recreational runners ’ dispositional fl ow signi fi cantly increased after four weeks online training compared to the baseline (d ¼ 0.53, 95% CI for d ¼ (0.30, 0.75)). This fi nding was substantiated by the positive experiences shared by participants highlighting the acceptability and effectiveness of the online mindfulness training. Conclusion : This study evaluated a 4-week online MSPE on dispositional fl ow enhancement in Chinese recreational runners. The quantitative and qualitative fi ndings provided evidence for its acceptability and effectiveness in the Chinese context.