The relationship between mindfulness, competitive anxiety, and self-efficacy in Taekwondo athletes with/without injury: The moderated mediation model.

Summary

Meditation, specifically mindfulness, significantly boosts self-regulation in combat sports athletes by reducing stress. Among 105 collegiate Taekwondo athletes, mindfulness predicted higher pre-event self-efficacy by lowering cognitive anxiety. This benefit was even more pronounced for injured athletes, where mindfulness exerted a stronger influence on reducing their stress. Such practices offer a powerful tool for athletes facing the unique demands and injury risks of combat sports, enhancing their mental resilience and ability to perform under pressure.

Abstract

Combat sports athletes are exposed to higher rates of injury, often resulting in increased anxiety and decreased pre-event self-efficacy. Mindfulness may serve as a protective buffer against these psychological effects. This study aimed to examine the relationship between athletic mindfulness and pre-event self-efficacy through competitive anxiety, as well as the moderating role of injury status among Taekwondo athletes. Collegiate Taekwondo athletes (N = 105) completed measures of athletic mindfulness, competitive anxiety, pre-event self-efficacy, and injury status prior to a national competition. A moderated mediation model was tested using PROCESS Models 4 and 59. Athletic mindfulness significantly predicted pre-event self-efficacy through cognitive anxiety. Although injury status did not moderate the overall mediation pathway, it moderated the relationship between athletic mindfulness and cognitive anxiety. These findings suggest a pathway through which mindfulness enhances pre-event self-efficacy by reducing cognitive anxiety among combat sports athletes. Regardless of its moderation of the mediation effect, injury status revealed that mindfulness exerted a stronger influence on reducing cognitive anxiety among injured athletes.

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