Ego-depletion and motor skill performance under pressure-experimental effects of a short term virtual-reality based mindfulness breathing meditation with integrated biofeedback.
Scientific reports – July 30, 2024
Source: PubMed
Summary
A brief virtual reality-based mindfulness breathing meditation can significantly enhance sports performance under pressure. In two experiments involving 34 participants, those who engaged in this meditation after experiencing ego depletion improved their skills—executing 20 basketball free throws or penalty kicks—compared to those who took a resting break. Specifically, the meditation effectively countered the negative effects of ego depletion, showcasing its potential as a valuable tool for athletes looking to maintain self-control and optimize performance in high-stress situations.
Abstract
Ego-depletion describes a state of mind, where the capacity for self-control is temporarily depleted after a primary self-control action. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a brief virtual reality-based mindfulness breathing meditation with integrated biofeedback can be considered an effective strategy to counteract the detrimental effects of ego depletion on motor skill performance under pressure. The study included two experiments, each of them designed as counterbalanced cross-over trials and based on an a priori sample-size calculation. Within each experiment, participants completed two appointments in a randomly assigned order, during which they were asked to perform 20 basketball free throws (N = 18; Experiment 1) or 20 penalty kicks at a football goal in four target squares (N = 16; Experiment 2) under pressure pre and post the following conditions: Stroop-test-induced ego depletion followed by a 15 min resting break, Stroop-test-induced ego depletion followed by a 15 min virtual reality-based mindfulness breathing meditation with integrated biofeedback. Results indicate that, in comparison to a resting break, a brief virtual reality-based mindfulness meditation with integrated biofeedback can counteract the detrimental effects of ego-depletion (Experiment 2) and enhance motor skill performance under pressure (Experiment 1, 2) Implications for researchers and practitioners are derived in light of the identified methodological limitations.