Os efeitos do Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) sobre o desempenho de atletas de basquete universitário

Abstract

Mindfulness can be defined as the conscious and intentional process through which one keeps its attention in the present moment, accepting things as they are, without judgment and expectation regarding the experience and its unfolding. Mindfulnes practices have gradually started to gain space in the sports environment, with research indicating benefits for athletes in terms of better perception of stress, better recovery from interoceptive disorders and better emotional regulation, for example. The present study hypothesized that mindfulness practices can benefit college basketball athletes in Brazil in terms of improving executive functions and sports performance. 12 college basketball athletes participated in this work, 6 from the experimental group, who underwent a 6-session mindfulness training (MSPE), and 6 from the control group, who watched videos online, the two groups being evaluated using quantitative and qualitative instruments. The results indicated that, quantitatively, there was no significant change in relation to performance and executive functions, but there was a difference according to the qualitative assessment.