Mindfulness training to improve basketball performance and movement in university athletes

Exploring the Impact of Mindfulness on Athletic Performance and Functional Movement in Collegiate Athletes

This program will try whether an 8-week mindfulness training can improve basketball skills, movement control, and mental health in university basketball players compared with psychological skills training and a standard control.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 126 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Macau (Academic / other)
• Locations: 2 sites (Macao and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT07342816 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

University basketball players will be assigned to a mindfulness-based MAIC program, a psychological skills training (PST) program, or a standard control group and followed over an 8-week intervention period. Participants complete mental health and stress questionnaires and undergo baseline and post-intervention physical fitness tests (jumping, running, strength) and basketball skill tests (shooting, dribbling, passing) along with on-court play assessments. The trial will compare changes between groups and examine whether effects differ by sex and whether baseline psychological state relates to initial performance. The design focuses on practical, in-person training delivered at University of Macau sports facilities.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Active university basketball athletes aged 18 or older enrolled at the University of Macau, City University of Macau, or Macau University of Science and Technology who are injury-free, have little or no prior formal mindfulness or PST experience, and can commit to the 8-week schedule.

Not a fit: Players with current musculoskeletal injuries or chronic conditions that prevent high-intensity testing, those under 18, or athletes with significant prior mindfulness or PST experience are unlikely to be eligible or to receive benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help collegiate basketball players improve skills, movement control, and psychological well-being using a non-drug training approach.

How similar studies have performed: Prior sport psychology and mindfulness interventions have shown mixed but generally promising effects on mental health and some performance measures, while the specific MAIC program in this context is less well-studied.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Participants must be active university basketball athletes enrolled at the University of Macau, City University of Macau, or Macau University of Science and Technology .
2. Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
3. Participants must not have a current musculoskeletal injury or chronic condition that prevents participation in high-intensity physical assessments
4. Participants must not have significant prior experience with formal mindfulness or meditation practice.
5. Participants must not have received prior systematic Psychological Skills Training (PST) courses.
6. Participants must be able to commit to the 8-week intervention and assessment schedule.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Individuals who do not meet the specific inclusion criteria (e.g., not a current university basketball athlete at the specified universities, or under 18 years old).
2. Presence of a musculoskeletal injury or chronic condition that prevents safe participation in physical assessments.
3. Significant prior experience with formal mindfulness or meditation practice, defined as having attended a course lasting one week or more.
4. Prior participation in systematic Psychological Skills Training (PST).
5. Inability to commit to the full 8-week intervention timeline.
6. Refusal to provide informed consent or declines to participate.

Where this trial is running

Macao and 1 other locations

• UM Sports Complex (N8) , Avenida da Universidade Taipa, Macau, China — Macao, Macau (Recruiting)
• University of Macau — Macao, Macau (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: SiMan LEI, Doctoral — University of Macau
• Study coordinator: Boyuan Xie, PhD student

Conditions Athletic Performance; Mental Health; Mindfulness; Collegiate Athletes; Basketball