Mobile-based mindfulness meditation intervention's impact on mental health among young male judo athletes in South Korea: a quasi-experimental study.
Ye Hoon Lee, Weisheng Chiu, Juhee Hwang, Sihyeon Noh
Scientific reports June 3, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63637-0
Summary
Mobile-delivered mindfulness meditation significantly improves mental health for young male judo athletes. In a study with 53 participants, those using the meditation app (N = 27) showed notable reductions in depressive symptoms (effect size 0.84), perceived stress (0.56), and anxiety (0.56). Additionally, self-esteem increased markedly (effect size 0.95). These findings highlight the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions in enhancing resilience and alleviating stress and anxiety, addressing critical mental health challenges faced by young athletes in competitive sports environments.
Abstract
Young athletes commonly encounter various mental health challenges due to the distinct pressures inherent in sports environments. This study investigates the effectiveness of mobile-delivered mindfulness meditation interventions in alleviating mental health indicators of depression, perceived stress, and anxiety, and enhancing self-esteem and resilience among young male judo athletes in South Korea. Pre- and post-test questionnaires were completed by 53 judo athletes. Participants were then allocated to the intervention group (N = 27; Mage = 13.77 [SD = 1.11]), which used a mobile meditation software program, or the control group (N = 27; Mage = 13.56 [SD = 1.05]). Data analysis compared intervention and control group scores using multiple statistical methods, including independent sample t-tests, paired sample t-tests, and 2 (time) × 2 (group) repeated measures analysis of variance. Following the intervention, the mindfulness group exhibited significant enhancements in the mental health indicators of depression (GMD = 2.74 [95% CI 0.90-4.56], Cohen's D = 0.84), perceived stress (GMD = 0.35 [95% CI 0.002-0.70], Cohen's D = 0.56), and anxiety (GMD = 0.2 [95% CI 0.001-0.40, Cohen's D = 0.56]. Self-esteem also had a significant increase (GMD = 0.55 [95% CI - 0.22 to - 0.88], Cohen's D = 0.95). The findings of this study underscore the potential benefits of mobile-delivered mindfulness meditation interventions in addressing mental health challenges among young male judo athletes. The significant enhancements observed in scores on measures of depression, perceived stress, anxiety, and self-esteem among participants in the mindfulness group highlight the effectiveness of such interventions in promoting mental health in sports settings.