European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 12, 7 (2019) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2019.006

A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial to Enhance Well-Being and Performance of Athletes in Para Sports

Hannah Macdougall1,*, Paul O’Halloran2, Emma Sherry3, Nora Shields4
1 Department of Management; Faculty of Business, Economics and Law; College of Arts, Social Sciences and Commerce; Centre for Sport and Social Impact, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Australia
2 Faculty of Health Sciences; College of Science, Health and Engineering; Department of Public Health, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Australia
3 Swinburne Business School, Faculty of Business and Law, Swinburne University, Hawthorn, Australia
4 School of Allied Health; College of Science, Health and Engineering; La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia

Existing mindfulness and acceptance-commitment programs in elite sport have ignored elite athletes with a physical disability. A pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted to determine if an eight-session mindfulness-acceptance-commitment program delivered within a motivational interviewing framework would enhance well-being in Para-Sport athletes. Eighteen Para-Sport athletes were randomly assigned to either intervention (n = 9) or waitlist control (n = 9) groups, with the intervention group attending eight 60-minute face-to-face individual sessions. Analysis of covariance showed statistically significant improvements in the primary outcomes of satisfaction with life (subjective well-being), personal growth, positive relation with others (psychological well-being) with large effect sizes (i.e., partial eta squared range = .23 to .30). Significant improvements for secondary outcomes were observed for a reduction in perceptions of pain (physical well-being). Although not statistically significant, moderate to large effect sizes in favour of the intervention group were also seen for multiple domains of subjective and psychological well-being. No significant or practically meaningful effect sizes were seen for social well-being. This trial provides some preliminary evidence that combining mindfulness-acceptance interventions with motivational interviewing can result in meaningful well-being improvements. Future research is needed to confirm the efficacy of this approach in adequately powered sample sizes.

Keywords: acceptance and commitment therapy; elite athletes; disability; intervention; mindfulness; motivational interviewing; Paralympics; physical impairment

Received: September 23, 2018; Accepted: April 14, 2019; Prepublished online: April 24, 2019; Published: November 15, 2019  Show citation

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Macdougall, H., O’Halloran, P., Sherry, E., & Shields, N. (2019). A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial to Enhance Well-Being and Performance of Athletes in Para Sports. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 12(2), 7. doi: 10.5507/euj.2019.006
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