Mbsr In College Tennis Players: Effects On Sports Performance And Executive Function Measured By Fnirs

: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training is increasinglyconsidered as a psychological approach for sport training. However, researchabout the effects of mindfulness on executive function in college tennisathletes is lack, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. PURPOSE: To observe the effect of MBSR on executive function and sportsperformance in college tennis players. METHODS: Thirty-six college tennis athletes were recruited and divided into 2groups, the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). The EG included 18 individuals (age:20.61 ± 0.61 years, 16 males and 2 females, BMI: 21.26 ± 1.57 kg/m2), while theCG included 18 individuals (age: 20.22 ± 1.00 years, 14 males and 4 females,BMI: 21.29 ± 2.08 kg/m2). Participants in the EG engaged in a 4-week MBSRtraining program. Mindfulness level wasassessed by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), sportsperformance was assessed by the sports skill level test, and executivefunction was assessed by the Stroop task and fNIRS. Differences in tennis skill level and FFMQ scale scoresbetween groups before and after the intervention were analyzed by paired t-tests, and differences between groups were analyzed by independentsamples t-tests. The repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyzereaction time (RT), accuracy, and oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb)concentration. Post hoc analyses were conducted using the LSD method totest for interaction effects. RESULTS: After a 4-week MBSR intervention, significant effects of MBSRtraining were observed on the FFMQ (EG: 126.39 ± 9.79; CG: 117.83 ± 6.5;p < 0.01) and for volley technique (EG: 7.61 ± 0.78; CG: 7.06 ± 0.73; p < 0.05).During the Stroop task, the RT for the EG improved after the intervention andwas significantly faster than the CG (EG: 671.32 ± 100.10 ms; CG:773.93 ± 121.58 ms; p < 0.01). The Oxy-Hb signal in the left dorsolateralprefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was significantly higher in the EG after theintervention (pre-intervention: 2.11 ± 4.95 μM × 10-3; post-intervention:4.79 ± 3.69 μM × 10-3; p = 0.003) and significantly higher than in the CG (post-intervention in CG: 2.29 ± 3.62 μM × 10-3; p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: A 4-week MBSR intervention is effectively improvesmindfulness levels, volley skills, and executive function in college tennisathletes.