Date of Award
12-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Applied Psychology
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Brooke Bennett
Committee Member
Dr. Jody Nicholson-Bell
Committee Member
Dr. Patrick Rosopa
Abstract
Mindfulness, originating from ancient Eastern traditions, involves developing intentional, nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment (Kabat-Zinn, 2012). In recent years, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have gained recognition in Western contexts for improving both well-being and athletic performance (Hut et al., 2021). Despite growing evidence for the benefits, many athletes still do not engage in mindfulness training. Common barriers include limited time (Gao et al., 2024), stigma (De Petrillo et al., 2009), lack of structure (Bühlmayer et al., 2017; Weber et al., 2023), and doubts about effectiveness (Augustus & Zizzi, 2022). This study examined these barriers among NCAA Division I and club sport athletes at Clemson University, professional tennis players from the INTENNSE League, and junior athletes from the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) Bolles Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. Guided by the Transtheoretical Model (TTM), the research explored how readiness for change, gender, and developmental context shape athletes’ perceptions of mindfulness barriers. Participants (N = 198) endorsed an average of 3.42 (SD = 2.07) barriers to mindfulness. The most frequent obstacles were lack of time (73.7%), difficulty maintaining focus (51.0%), and stress or feeling overwhelmed (43.9%). Chi-square analyses revealed that both time, χ²(4, N = 179) = 10.17, p = .038, and stress, χ²(4, N = 179) = 18.58, p < .001, barriers significantly differed across the five TTM stages of change, while focus did not, χ²(4, N = 179) = 5.82, p = .213. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to examine differences in the total number of barriers to mindfulness practice across the five stages of change. The analysis revealed a non-significant effect, F(4, 174) = 2.25, p = .066, suggesting that the number of perceived barriers did not differ substantially across stages. However, post hoc analyses indicated that athletes in the Action stage reported significantly fewer barriers (M = 3.12) than those in the Preparation stage (M = 4.24), p = .044. Additionally, female athletes reported more overall barriers than males, particularly related to time and stress, F(1, 177) = 7.03, p = .009. These results suggest that mindfulness programs should align with athletes’ readiness levels and daily routines rather than as separate activities. Integrating brief mindfulness moments into training, such as breathing pauses during warm-ups or cooldowns, may help reduce time constraints. Gender differences highlight the value of potentially tailoring approaches by incorporating self-compassion and balance for women, and framing mindfulness as a focus or mental conditioning for men. Overall, effectively integrating mindfulness into sport requires flexible, culturally aware, and context-specific methods that fit within athletes’ daily schedules.
Recommended Citation
Thomas, Annabelle L., "Barriers to Mindfulness Training Among Athletes: A Transtheoretical Approach" (2025). All Theses. 4637.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4637