Date of Award

Spring 2026

Language

English

Embargo Period

4-26-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Educational Policy and Leadership

Program

Educational Policy and Leadership

First Advisor

Heinz-Dieter Meyer

Second Advisor

James Stellar

Third Advisor

Elizabeth Jach

Keywords

mindfulness, athletics, coaching, mental health

Subject Categories

Educational Leadership | Health and Physical Education | Secondary Education and Teaching

Abstract

Rising rates of mental health concerns among collegiate student-athletes have intensified calls for a more holistic approach to athlete development and well-being.  While student-athletes regularly interact with coaches and educators, few curricular interventions explicitly address mental and emotional wellness in the athletic context.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the development, implementation, and perceived impact of a mindfulness-centered approach and curriculum.  This curriculum is designed explicitly for collegiate student-athletes and coaches.  Grounded in mindfulness-based pedagogy, the curriculum addressed stress management, emotion regulation, interpersonal relationships, performance anxiety, and personal growth.

Using a multi-tiered qualitative design, data were collected through lived experiences, semi-structured interviews with student-athletes and coaches who engage in mindfulness practices, and journal entries.  An autoethnographic component, documenting the researcher’s self-reflection as both instructor and coach, adds to the lived experiences.  Data were analyzed using iterative coding and thematic analysis to identify patterns across participants and data sources.

Findings suggest that mindfulness-based practices support student-athletes in managing stress, enhancing self-awareness, improving the coach-athlete dyad, fostering a positive team culture, and constructively reframing their athletic experiences.  The study contributes to the literature on mental health in collegiate athletics by offering a mindfulness-centered, curriculum-based approach to athlete well-being, with implications for coaching practice, institutional programming, and holistic athlete development.

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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