Mindfulness and Psychological Competitive Abilities Promotes the Mental Health of Athletes

The relationship between mindfulness, psychological competitive abilities and mood states were investigated among Japanese university athletes. Athletes (N=233, 169 men and 64 women, mean age 18.51 years, SD=1.16) responded to a questionnaire package comprising the Athletes Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Diagnostic Inventory of Psychological Competitive Ability for Athletes 3 (DIPCA. 3), and the Japanese version of the Profile of Moods States short version (POMS). Results indicated that athletes with high compared to low mindfulness scores had higher scores for self-control, ability to relax, concentration, confidence, decision, judgment, as well as higher total DIPCA. 3, and lower score for total POMS scores. Furthermore, mediation analyses indicated direct and indirect associations between mindfulness and total mood disturbance through self-control and ability to relax skills of the DIPCA. 3. These results suggest that mindfulness is one predictor of psychological aspects of performance and mental health of athletes.