Implementation and Evaluation of Mindfulness-Based Interventions to Improve Mental Health and Overall Wellbeing of College Student-Athletes

Athletes have several challenges and demands that increase psychological distress and disturbances to overall wellbeing. Currently, more research is being done to identify issues that college athletes face by not receiving mental health services. College athletes are now being identified in the literature as a vulnerable population. This pilot study looked at a possible mindfulness-based intervention by incorporating yoga sessions. The research hypothesis proposed that the participants who partake in the yoga sessions have a decrease in depression and anxiety, and overall wellbeing. This increase was measured using the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), PHQ-9, and the Behavioral Health Measure (BHM-10). There were a total of 13 participants who agreed to participate in this study. The three measures were collected from each of the participants and the scores were analyzed using independent samples t-tests. Results showed a significant difference between those who were classified as food insecure as compared to those not classified as food insecure. Those who indicated they had experienced at least one episode of being without food scored higher in the depression scale. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed