Effect of Mindfulness Practice on EEG and Anxiety Levels in Martial Arts Karate Athletes
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Abstract
Background and Aim: Mindfulness-based psychological interventions have increasingly been applied in competitive sports to enhance mental performance, emotional regulation, and stress management. Among these approaches, the Mindfulness Acceptance Commitment (MAC) program has shown potential for improving athletes’ psychological readiness and performance under pressure. This study aimed to investigate the effects of mindfulness training on brain wave activity and anxiety levels among competitive karate athletes and to examine the effectiveness of the MAC program in reducing competition-related anxiety among Thai national karate team athletes.
Materials and Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design. Participants consisted of Thai national karate athletes, both male and female, aged 18–28 years, who experienced moderate to high levels of competition anxiety. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Sample size was calculated using G*Power based on Cohen’s criteria, resulting in an initial target of 15 participants. Due to participant withdrawal during the research process, the final sample included 10 athletes. Participants underwent mindfulness training based on the MAC program combined with regular karate training over seven weeks, with sessions conducted twice weekly. Brain wave activity was measured one week before competition, while anxiety and mindfulness levels were assessed using the revised State Anxiety Inventory and the Sport Mindfulness Scale before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test at the .05 significance level.
Results: The findings revealed statistically significant differences in alpha and beta brain wave activity before and after the intervention at electrode sites Cz (p = 0.02), Cp6 (p = 0.04), Pz (p = 0.02), and P4 (p < 0.01). However, no significant differences were observed at other electrode locations. In addition, no statistically significant changes were found in state anxiety or sport mindfulness levels following the intervention. Despite the absence of significant psychological outcome changes, the MAC program demonstrated positive trends in influencing athletes’ cerebral physiological responses and psychological readiness for competition.
Conclusion: The MAC program demonstrated potential benefits for Thai national karate athletes, particularly in relation to brain physiological activity associated with competitive performance. Although significant reductions in anxiety were not observed within the study period, the findings suggest promising applications of mindfulness-based interventions for enhancing psychological and physiological preparedness in competitive sports. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer intervention periods are recommended to clarify the long-term effects of MAC training on athletic performance and mental health.
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