International Seminar in Sport and Exercise Psychology
Abstract:
Mindfulness education has been shown to have positive effects on students' cognitive function, social interaction, and mental health. In the context of physical education, being aware of bodily and mental sensations during skill learning is essential for motivating participation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of mindfulness pedagogy on motivation in physical education using a quasiexperimental design. The participants in four university physical education classes were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 69) or a control group (n = 68). Both groups underwent 18 weeks of physical education courses, with mindfulness pedagogy being incorporated into the classes of the experimental group. The data were analyzed with mixed-design two-way ANOVA to assess differences between groups and time. There was a significant interaction between groups concerning mindfulness (mind and body) and amotivation in the pre- and posttests. The results suggested that mindfulness training can improve students' awareness of their current mental and physical state, leading to a reduced willingness to withdraw from physical education courses. Mindfulness assists students in establishing and attaining goals within physical education, and these adjustments necessitate students to engage in cognitive focus regarding their commitment to physical activity while simultaneously juggling other responsibilities to uphold their goal to engage in regular physical activity. Overall, by cultivating mindfulness, individuals can effectively align their actions with their internalized values, resulting in a reduction in learned helplessness, including feelings of ineffectiveness, lack of purpose, or internal resistance toward an action.
