Beyond a Runner's High: Assessing the Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Running Activity in Adolescents

Mindfulness has been increasingly demonstrated as an effective intervention for improving various mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, stress levels, and quality of life. In more recent years, studies have examined the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs in eliciting such benefits in children and adolescents, and have seen promising results. Furthermore, children also experience positive outcomes such as improvements in school functioning, internalizing and externalizing problems, prosocial behavior, and focus. Exercise is another strategy that has been shown to improve psychological functioning, and research is emerging on the connection between exercise and mindfulness, both as a practice and as an outcome. Findings have shown that those who are higher in levels of trait mindfulness demonstrate increased physical activity and improved diet. Other studies found that mindfulness interventions can have a positive impact on sports performance, and also that exercise participation can lead to an increase in trait mindfulness. This relationship among youth populations has yet to be discussed in the literature. The present study asked questions related to running activity and trait mindfulness levels in adolescents over time, as well as the presence of music while running and its relationship with trait mindfulness. To answer these questions, high- school students were surveyed before and after the duration of a pre-determined period of heightened running. Results indicated that participation in running activity was not a significant predictor of trait mindfulness change. The presence of music while running was found to have a significant negative relationship with trait mindfulness levels. Limitations of the study design, as well as implications for school psychologists and future directions are discussed