Effectiveness of four components of mindfulness based on acceptance and commitment (MAC) on cognitive and physical anxiety of female athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic
Open accessAbstract
The aim of the study was to test whether mindfulness based acceptance/commitment (MAC) could reduce cognitive-physical anxiety of female athletes to an active control group. This study was a semi-experimental design, Randomized controlled trail with an 8 week (16 sessions, 90 min each) and the active control group. Fifty female fitness athletes (Mage=25.14; SD=1.5) were randomly assigned either to MAC intervention or active control condition. All participations completed Kentucky Mindfulness Inventory (KIMS) and Smith Anxiety Inventory. MANOVA analyses were used to assess time by interactions. Significant value by group interaction effects were found for all outcomes. In the MAC group, Observational and Descriptive Aspects of Mindfulness are more effective in reducing cognitive anxiety rather than physical anxiety. In the active control group, the outcomes remained relatively stable. The present finding suggest that among female aerobic athletics, a MAC intervention has the potential to reduce cognitive and physical anxiety by increase observational and descriptive aspects more than Act with awareness, Accept without judgment aspects. The MAC model is one of the best systematic approaches to mindfulness training in sport psychology and has positive impact on performance, as well as the overall development of mental health and well-being.
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By promoting acceptance of negative thoughts and emotions, MAC reduces experiential avoidance, fosters cognitive flexibility, and improves metacognitive control, thereby helping athletes break cycles of rumination during performance.
“By promoting acceptance of negative thoughts and emotions, MAC reduces experiential avoidance, fosters cognitive flexibility, and improves metacognitive control, thereby helping athletes break cycles of rumination during performance [58, 92].”
From The Effect of Different Psychological Interventions on Athletes' Competitive Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis. (2026) · cites this paper as [58]
The Introduction (pp. 1–2) describes accepting thoughts and emotions without trying to escape or control them, and the Discussion (p. 9) says mindfulness exercises increase psychological flexibility in athletes. The Discussion (p. 8) also describes recognizing negative-thought patterns before being drawn into a vicious cycle. The paper does not establish improved metacognitive control or show that MAC breaks cycles of rumination during performance. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMAC may enhance attention and awareness of present thoughts and emotions, which could facilitate regulation of disruptive feelings.
“The intervention may enhance attention and awareness of present thoughts and emotions, which could facilitate regulation of disruptive feelings [58, 90, 91].”
From The Effect of Different Psychological Interventions on Athletes' Competitive Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis. (2026) · cites this paper as [58]
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“By promoting acceptance of negative thoughts and emotions, MAC reduces experiential avoidance, fosters cognitive flexibility, and improves metacognitive control, thereby helping athletes break cycles of rumination during performance [58, 92].”
- Authors
- FAHİMİ, M., AKBARPOUR BENİ, M., RAHMAN GHOLHAKİ, M., & MİRGALOUYE BAYAT, M.
- Affiliations
- shahab danesh university
- University of Qom
- university of Qom
- Venue
- Turkish Journal of Kinesiology
- Publisher
- Turkish Journal of Kinesiology
- Published
- 2023-09-30
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 158-168
- ISSN
- 2459-0134 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4386203046
- Cited by
- 1
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1
- FWCI
- 0.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- dx.doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Turkish Journal of Kinesiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DergiPark (Istanbul University) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- university of Qom
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Keywords
- mindfulness-based acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, female athletes, COVID-19 pandemic, mindfulness training, sport psychology intervention, active control
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