Effectiveness of Mindfulness Intervention on Reducing Competitive Anxiety in Athletes
Keywords:
mindfulness, competitive anxiety, sports psychology, athletic performance, CSAI-2Abstract
Competitive anxiety is one of the most significant psychological barriers to optimal athletic performance, often manifesting as cognitive worry, somatic tension, and diminished self-confidence in competitive settings. This study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention in reducing competitive anxiety among athletes at the Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Universitas Negeri Makassar. A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test control group was employed. Thirty athletes were selected using purposive sampling and divided equally into an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The mindfulness intervention program was administered over eight weeks, consisting of structured sessions including breath awareness, body scan, and mindful movement techniques. Competitive anxiety was measured using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) instrument at three time points: pre-intervention, mid-intervention (week four), and post-intervention (week eight). Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and independent sample t-tests with a significance level of ? = 0.05. The results revealed a statistically significant reduction in cognitive anxiety (p = 0.001), somatic anxiety (p = 0.002), and a significant improvement in self-confidence (p = 0.003) in the experimental group following the intervention. No significant changes were observed in the control group (p > 0.05). These findings provide empirical support for the integration of mindfulness-based practices into sports psychology programs for competitive athletes
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