Search

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how community college student-athletes who reside in the central California area describe how mindfulness training has influenced their psychological well-being. The conceptual framework comprised mindfulness-acceptance and commitment (MAC) to provide the theoretical foundation. MAC is an approach to enhancing athletic performance and well-being among athletes. The MAC approach was advantageous when addressing the influence of mindfulness training on psychological well-being among community college students. The MAC approach provided an understanding of how community college student-athletes' psychological well-being was influenced by mindfulness training. The two research questions were: 1.) How do community college student-athletes describe the influence of learning about mindfulness training on their psychological well-being? And 2.) How do community college student-athletes describe the influence of practicing mindfulness training on their psychological well-being? The sample was 17 community college student-athletes who underwent mindfulness training in central California. Data sources included semi-structured interviews and two focus groups, and data were analyzed using thematic analyses. Themes found included: importance of learning about mindfulness training tools; student-athlete achievement; enhanced personal mastery; and social cohesion and control. Future qualitative descriptive research could include other community colleges within the state of California and other colleges located in the United States. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]