Mindfulness, reinvestment, and rowing under pressure: evidence for moderated moderation of the anxiety-performance relationship

Katie Sparks, Maria Kavussanu, RSW Masters, Chris Ring

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objectives: Our study had two objectives. First, we examined the relationship between dispositional sport-specific mindfulness and rowing performance. Second, we investigated whether dispositional sport-specific mindfulness moderated the moderating effect of conscious processing on the anxiety-performance relationship.

Design: Cross-sectional field study. Participants took part in a competitive race and completed a survey after the race.

Method: Rowers (N = 270) completed post-race measures of mindfulness, rowing specific reinvestment, perceived performance, anxiety and demographics. We also determined actual rowing performance.

Results: Mindful refocus was positively associated with perceived and actual performance, whilst non-judgemental thinking was only positively associated with perceived performance. Rowing specific Conscious Motor Processing (RS-CMP) moderation effect on the anxiety-performance relationship was attenuated by high levels mindful awareness, this was true for both actual and perceived performance. Rowing specific movement self-consciousness (RS-MSC) moderation effect on the anxiety-performance relationship was moderated by non-judgmental thinking but only for perceived performance.

Conclusion: Our findings provide initial support that dispositional mindfulness may benefit performance under pressure and that this may be through the attenuation of reinvestment processes. Furthermore, the result demonstrated that mindful awareness and non-judgmental thinking may act on distinct reinvestment processes.
Original languageEnglish
Article number101998
Number of pages10
JournalPsychology of Sport and Exercise
Volume56
Early online date3 Jun 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2021

Keywords

  • Present moment
  • Conscious processing
  • Rowing
  • Performance

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