PLAYwithHEART

Study protocol to test the efficacy of a mindfulness, acceptance and compassion-based programme for adolescent athletes

Abstract

Some studies have documented that athletes experience mental health challenges associated with the practice of sports. There is evidence of the benefits of mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion skills in athletes. The contribution of these processes has never been tested in an integrated and structured way. In this protocol, we aim to describe a controlled non-randomized trial to test a new integrative intervention based on contextual-behavioral therapies for adolescent athletes: the PLAYwithHEART programme. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04850872). The PLAYwithHEART programme will comprise eight weekly sessions (of about 45 minutes each) directed towards adolescent athletes. The PLAYwithHEART programme’s structure and contents are presented in this protocol. Athletes will be recruited through contact with sport clubs in Portugal. A total of 189 participants will be selected and assigned to one of two conditions: experimental group (who will participate in the programme) or control group (in the waitlist control condition). Outcome measurement will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and at six-month follow-up. This programme aims to decrease the levels of anxiety in sport and increase the quality of life of athletes, by promoting skills such as mindfulness, acceptance, and self-compassion, and decreasing levels of shame and self-criticism, to deal with the challenges and demands of sport contexts. Results will contribute to reaching an optimized intervention for athletes.