Effect of Mindfulness Intervention on Cognition and Emotion in Table Tennis College Athletes
A Randomized Controlled Trial
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21748810 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Qian Lei (0000-0002-3508-4887, Xi'an Technological University), Lei Qian (0000-0002-2128-9048, Xi'an Technological University), HuiDi Wei (Zhengzhou Tourism College, Zhengzhou, China), Tao Zhu (0000-0001-9438-3732, Kaifeng University), An Wen (Xi'an Technological University), Wu Wen (0009-0006-5230-1798, Nanjing Medical University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 15579883251408399-15579883251408399 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Journal of Men s Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1557-9883 • E-ISSN: 1557-9891 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/15579883251408399 |
| PMID | 41721510 |
| OpenAlex | W7130818522 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
Mindfulness (Mind) intervention as a psychological treatment is adopted in the sports field, its effect during competition has not been fully explored yet. This study examined the impact on cognitive performance following laboratory-controlled mindfulness intervention lasting 16 weeks. In a single-blind randomized crossover design, 90 college table tennis athletes meeting inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either a control (Con) group or a mindfulness (Mind) group. The Mind group underwent a 16-week mindfulness intervention (8 minutes/session, 4 sessions/week) after training, while the Con group continued with life-as-usual at that time. Cognition, cerebral oxygenation, emotion state, salivary cortisol, and mental fatigue were measured at baseline (pretest) and post-intervention (posttest). Long-term mindfulness intervention significantly improved cognitive performance, e.g., attention concentrativeness, attention span, distractibility, instantaneous memory, short-term memory, long-term memory, supported by eliciting increased oxyhemoglobin concentration in the left and right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). A better emotional state and a lower mental fatigue level as well as lower cortisol concentration were observed in the Mind group than in the Con group after the intervention at posttest. A 16-week mindfulness intervention can improve emotional state, reduce subjective fatigue, improve cognition and increase cerebral oxygenation. In general, mindfulness training is recommended for table tennis athletes during competition
Athletes · Cognition · Cognitive reappraisal · Crossover study · Mindfulness · Randomized controlled trial · Martial Arts: Techniques, Psychology, and Education · Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions · Sport Psychology and Performance
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |