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Exploring Self-Compassion and Eudaimonic Well-Being in Young Women Athletes
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Using a mixed methods research design, we explored self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being in young women athletes. In a quantitative study (n = 83), we found that self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being were positively related (r = .76, p < .01). A model of multiple mediation was proposed, with self-compassion, passivity, responsibility, initiative, and self-determination accounting for 83% of the variance in eudaimonic well-being. In a qualitative study (n = 11), we explored when and how self-compassion might be useful in striving to reach one's potential in sport. Self-compassion was described as advantageous in difficult sport-specific situations by increasing positivity, perseverance, and responsibility, as well as decreasing rumination. Apprehensions about fully embracing a self-compassionate mindset in sport warrant additional research to explore the seemingly paradoxical role of self-compassion in eudaimonic well-being.
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... Training can also lead them to psychological flourishing, as it induces self-compassion, sports assertiveness, and emotional self-regulation. This would provoke the decrease of reactivity in favor of an intentional action [33,34]. ...
... These processes, among other disturbances, trigger exaggerated effort, hyper-focus, excessive control, constant tension, anxiety, low self-esteem, and overthinking. Therefore, in addition to leading the athletes to enter a cycle of exhaustion and mental rumination that ends up developing a hyper-identification with the situations that lead them to act in an automatic and reactive manner, they are considered potential factors detrimental to performance [66] The studies by Ferguson et al. [33,34] and Mosewich et al. [67] indicated a better psychological flourishing of athletes (e.g., greater autonomy, mastery, growth) when there was the development of self-compassion, sporting assertiveness and emotional self-regulation from the reduction and/or regulation of critical judgment about oneself, until experiential acceptance (non-judgment). In other words, a decrease in reactivity in favor of more intentional action. ...
This study aimed to analyze the effect of a flow training program based on mindfulness applied to young and adult elite handball athletes. A quantitative, quasi-experimental, descriptive data analysis approach was carried out. The sample included 105 athletes (51 female and 54 male). The athletes were divided into two groups: i) experimental (n = 53) and ii) control (n = 52). The results of the repeated ANOVA indicated that the experimental group achieved significant improvements compared to the control group in decision making (n2p=.086), mental well-being (n2p=.045), dispositional flow state (n2p=.103), non-judgment (n2p=.040), refocusing (n2p=.052) and mindful trait in daily life (n2p=.058). In the linear regression test, the factor non-judgment was identified as a predictor of decision making (F(103)=7.99, p=.006) and the predictor for the mental well-being were dispositional flow state (F(102)=29.2, p
... As these global theories were developed in non-sport contexts, they do not take into account the unique psychosocial challenges presented in the sport context (discussed below), there may be different (and significant) components that comprise athlete EWB that are overlooked when deductively examining athlete EWB with previously formulated global theories of EWB. Very few studies have explored sport-specific EWB from a fully eudaimonic perspective (i.e., explored all eudaimonic concepts in a single model) and the handful that have, utilized deductive methods (96,120,121). While this is a very important first step in developing understanding around athlete EWB it limits definitions of athlete EWB to previously conceptualized global EWB frameworks rather than exploring athletes' perceptions of EWB in the sport context (contextual; sport-specific EWB). ...
... Three qualitative studies have explored EWB in sport. Both Ferguson et al. (120) and Lundqvist and Sandin (96) used Ryff's (34) model of EWB to deductively investigate athlete EWB, where Mirehie and Gibson (121) applied the PERMA model (44) to deductively examine well-being in a sample of recreational snow sport athletes. These studies merely explored how Ryff's (34) and Seligman's (44) model could be applied to the sport context. ...
The purpose of this commentary is to critique the application of well-being in the field of sport and exercise psychology and to provide recommendations for future research. Over the last decade well-being has been an increasingly popular concept under investigation. In the field of sport and exercise psychology, numerous scholars have examined and conducted research on well-being of athletes. While this research has resulted in an abundance of findings, there is concern in how the concept of well-being was applied, defined, and measured. The construct of well-being can be traced back to two distinct perspectives, hedonic well-being and eudaimonic well-being. These perspectives of well-being are based on different philosophical assumptions, and while they are compatible, they are theoretically distinct. In sport and exercise psychology, well-being has lacked consistent operationalization and measurement (i.e., theoretical alignment, single dimensions of hedonic or eudaimonic measured to make claims about the broader well-being constructs), is vague and loosely defined, and is often studied in isolation from a well-being perspective (i.e., no theoretical foundation). We conclude by offering three recommendations to move the field of well-being in sport research forward.
... The association between eudaimonic well-being and self-compassion is supported by both theoretical and empirical evidence. According to theory, exhibiting self-compassion leads to proactive actions that support or preserve wellbeing (Neff, 2003b;Ferguson et al., 2014). ...
This study aims to investigate the subjective and individualistic aspect of eudaimonic well-being considering practical implications for psychological science and personal development. A comprehensive analysis of 12 articles was carried out. This review examined the research designs employed, the methods utilized to quantify the construct of eudaimonic well-being, and the key conclusions that can be made from these studies among young adults.Eudaimonic well-being was dependent variable in all of the studies. This study indicates that different factors influence eudaimonic wellbeing in young adults.Positive relationships, self-acceptance, personal growth,passion,word-of-mouth behavior, intimate relationships,goal pursuit and coping flexibility affect eudaimonic wellbeing positively in young adults.Psychopathy and machiavellianism affect eudaimonic well being negatively in young adults. To improve the general level of life satisfaction among young adults, the research emphasizes the significance of incorporating eudaimonic well-being into mental health treatments, educational programs, and workplace wellness initiatives.
... Training can also lead them to psychological flourishing, as it induces selfcompassion, sports assertiveness, and emotional self-regulation. This would provoke a decrease in reactivity in favor of an intentional action [33,34]. ...
This study aimed to analyze the effect of a flow training program based on mindfulness applied to young and adult elite handball athletes. A quantitative, quasi-experimental, descriptive data analysis approach was carried out. The sample included 105 athletes (51 female and 54 male). The athletes were divided into two groups: (i) experimental (n = 53) and (ii) control (n = 52). The results of the repeated ANOVA indicated that the experimental group achieved significant improvements compared to the control group in decision making (n2p = 0.086), mental well-being (n2p = 0.045), dispositional flow state (n2p = 0.103), non-judgment (n2p = 0.040), refocusing (n2p = 0.052), and mindful traits in daily life (n2p = 0.058). A Pearson analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between dispositional flow state and mindfulness in sport and mental well-being. The correlation analysis also showed an inverse correlation between decision making and sense of control and mindful traits in daily life. The findings revealed that the program can be effective in decision making, mental well-being, dispositional flow state, mindfulness in sport, and mindful traits in daily lives of athletes.
... It has been found that stress is negatively related to self-compassion in young adults (Zhang et al., 2016; Model 1; path a). Furthermore, self-compassion goes along with higher well-being (Ferguson et al., 2014) and less psychological distress (Walton et al., 2020) in women athletes and is positively related to mental health in student athletes (Stamatis et al., 2020;Model 1;path b). In a sample of college students of comparable age, self-compassion has been found to buffer the relationship between stress, anxiety, and depression (Stutts et al., 2018). ...
... Athletes with high levels of self-compassion have greater self-reliance, personal growth, life purpose, responsibility, and perseverance. Consequently, they tend to minimize negative thoughts and behavior, thereby gaining greater self-confidence (Ferguson et al., 2014;. ...
The theoretical 5Cs model (character, confidence, competence, connection and caring) is a promising theory for evaluating Positive Youth Development (PYD) through sport. Given the scarcity of studies evaluating the inter-relationship between the 5Cs of PYD through sport in the Brazilian context, the aim of the present study was to explore the 5C relationship networks. The sample comprised 308 athletes aged between 14 and 24 (M=18, 5±2.35, 54.9% females), who responded to a battery of 5Cs measures in sport. Network analysis was employed, producing six clusters of items. The network graph results suggested that the items Character (2 – leader in the group; 5 – I am better than other) and Competence (32 – ability to be a leader) are central nodes, while the measures of centrality identified the coach-athlete Connection (42 – with my coach, I am ready to do my best; 43 – with my coach, I adopt a friendly stance) as having greater impact than the clusters. The results corroborated the theoretical grounding, which stresses the role of the coach-athlete relationship in PYD through sport. The practical application of these practices is presented here.
... Higher levels of self-compassion have been associated with better-perceived sport performance (Killham et al., 2018), more adaptative reactions to difficult sport situations (Reis et al., 2015), and higher levels of responsibility, initiative, and self-determination . There also seems to exist a negative association between self-compassion and sport anxiety (Huysmans & Clement, 2017), shame (Mosewich et al., 2011), self-criticism (Killham et al., 2018), and passivity (giving up or quitting trying; Ferguson et al., 2014). When exploring the role of self-compassion in sporting contexts, one of the main challenges is the resistance and scepticism of athletes (i.e., fear of self-compassion; Gilbert et al., 2011), since they tend to perceive it as an obstacle to their goals Mosewich et al., 2014;Sutherland et al., 2014). ...
... Furthermore, the dominant norms and the valued competitiveness in sport might put a question mark on self-compassion for some competitive athletes. For example, Zhang and McEwan (2023) found that athletes displayed more self-criticism than self-compassion and reported greater fear of self-compassion in sport settings (compared to life in general) probably due to fear of being mediocre (see also Ferguson et al., 2014;Sutherland et al., 2014, for athletes' narratives of such fears). As such, the prevalent ego orientation (e.g., one's value of personal competence and interpersonal comparison) and performance climate (e.g., a team's culture of performance emphasis and competitiveness) in competitive sports may contribute to the development of antisocial behaviour in sport (Kavussanu & Al-Yaaribi, 2021), which may explain why individuals low in, or resistant to, self-compassion demonstrated greater antisocial behaviour in sport. ...
Narcissism, which features the chronic disposition to seek the opportunity to construct and maintain an inflated self, is a known risk for antisocial behaviour. However, knowledge of factors that mitigate the effects of narcissism on antisocial behaviour is lacking. In two studies we explored the hypothesis that self-compassion would protect against the link between narcissism and antisocial behaviour, such that narcissism would be less related to antisocial behaviour when self-compassion was high. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study with a sample of professional footballers (N = 208). Study 2 utilised a sample of competitive athletes from a variety of sports (N = 324) over an eight-month period. The data from both studies supported the hypothesis: Greater self-compassion was associated with a null (Study 1) or significantly attenuated (Study 2) relationship between narcissism and antisocial behaviour. We discuss the implications of the findings, including the benefits of incorporating self-compassion in sport settings.
Academic buoyancy has been shown to contribute to adaptive emotional, motivational, and academic outcomes. Previous work suggests that students’ emotional intelligence, self-compassion, and achievement goals are key determinants of academic buoyancy. However, to date, no study has examined the combined influence of these factors on students’ academic buoyancy. Thus, this study investigated if the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic buoyancy is mediated by self-compassion and achievement goals in a serial fashion. University students (N = 498, 87.6% female, 67.6% white, \(\overline{X }\) age = 28.10 ± 9.46) completed the following instruments: Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale, Self-Compassion Scale–Short Form, 3 × 2 Achievement Goal Questionnaire, and Academic Buoyancy Scale. Using mediation techniques, we determined that the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic buoyancy was mediated by both self-compassion and specific achievement goal constructs. Specifically, the indirect effect of emotional intelligence was shown to decrease academic buoyancy when the mediation pathway included self-compassion followed by Task-Approach, Other-Approach, or Task-Avoidance goals. The unexpected indirect relationships between emotional intelligence and academic buoyancy resulted from a negative association between self-compassion and the achievement goal constructs. Thus, although emotional intelligence enhanced self-compassion, self-compassion was shown to undermine academic goal striving and subsequent academic buoyancy. This study broadens our understanding of the factors influencing academic buoyancy and underscores the potential drawbacks of excessive self-compassion.
The impact of psychological skills training (PST) package programs on life, health,
well-being in general and South African youth in particular has been relatively
neglected. For example, prior to this research the impact of PST on the core health
component of psychological well-being had not been evaluated, nor had the
conceptual and/or empirical relationship between psychological skills and
psychological well-being been investigated. While PST is often conducted
individually due to its personal and specific nature, group training should not be
overlooked especially in South Africa where community interventions are an
important part of health promotion. With the above considerations in mind a
triangulated design involving individual, group and community interventions, as well
as elite and expert case studies was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of a PST
program and to investigate the relationship between psychological skills and
psychological well-being. Results based on quantitative and qualitative outcome and
process measurements indicated general improvement in psychological skills,
psychological well-being and sporting performance. Psychological skills and
psychological well-being were found to be interrelated concepts, with overlapping
components. Recommendations for ongoing and future research at individual, group
and community level are made.
Regardless of the level of sport competition, setbacks are inevitable and can promote stress, requiring effective coping skills. Well-developed coping skills are required for athletes to not only reach their performance potential, but also to have healthy sport experiences. The purpose of the present study was to further explore setbacks and coping in sport experienced by a group of high-performance women athletes. Through exploration of their experiences, relevant setbacks and resultant coping efforts were identified, providing insight into the effectiveness of resources for this population, as well as areas of stress and coping deserving more attention. Using a phenomenological orientation, five high-performance women athletes were interviewed about their experiences with setbacks in sport. Thematic analysis revealed that poor performance, performance plateau and injury were common setback experiences. Managing setbacks involved having a positive approach, dealing with self-criticism, using social support and striving for balance. Results speak to the importance of considering the implications and challenges presented by setbacks when attempting to promote effective coping among athletes. Additionally, unique approaches, such as fostering mindful or self-compassionate perspectives, may positively add to coping skill resources through targeting issues that the athletes identified as particularly challenging.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the prevalence of eating disorders and excessive concerns regarding body weight in certain subpopulations of female athletes are increasing. The pressure on female athletes to improve their performances and physiques, coupled with the general sociocultural demand placed on all women to be thin, often results in attempts to achieve unrealistic body size and body weight goals. For some female athletes the pressure to achieve and maintain a low body weight leads to potentially harmful patterns of restrictive eating or chronic dieting. This paper seeks to further delineate the characteristics of a recently identified subclinical eating disorder in female athletes: anorexia athletica . Research studies that support the existence of subclinical eating disorders will be reviewed. In addition, the possible physiological and psychological consequences of subclinical eating disorders will be explored.
This article distinguishes between hedonic and eudaimonic approaches to wellness, with the former focusing on the outcome of happiness or pleasure and the latter focusing not so much on outcomes as on the process of living well. We present a model of eudaimonia that is based in self-determination theory, arguing that eudaimonic living can be characterized in terms of four motivational concepts: (1) pursuing intrinsic goals and values for their own sake, including personal growth, relationships, community, and health, rather than extrinsic goals and values, such as wealth, fame, image, and power; (2) behaving in autonomous, volitional, or consensual ways, rather than heteronomous or controlled ways; (3) being mindful and acting with a sense of awareness; and (4) behaving in ways that satisfy basic psychological needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy. In fact, we theorize that the first three of these aspects of eudaimonic living have their positive effects of psychological and physical wellness because they facilitate satisfaction of these basic, universal psychological needs. Studies indicate that people high in eudaimonic living tend to behave in more prosocial ways, thus benefiting the collective as well as themselves, and that conditions both within the family and in society more generally contribute toward strengthening versus diminishing the degree to which people live eudaimonic lives.
In spite of the fact that chain referral sampling has been widely used in qualitative sociological research, especially in the study of deviant behavior, the problems and techniques involved in its use have not been adequately explained. The procedures of chain referral sampling are not self-evident or obvious. This article attempts to rectify this methodological neglect. The article provides a description and analysis of some of the problems that were encountered and resolved in the course of using the method in a relatively large exploratory study of ex-opiate addicts.
This article defines the construct of self-compassion and describes the development of the Self-Compassion Scale. Self-compassion entails being kind and understanding toward oneself in instances of pain or failure rather than being harshly self-critical; perceiving one's experiences as part of the larger human experience rather than seeing them as isolating; and holding painful thoughts and feelings in mindful awareness rather than over-identifying with them. Evidence for the validity and reliability of the scale is presented in a series of studies. Results indicate that self-compassion is significantly correlated with positive mental health outcomes such as less depression and anxiety and greater life satisfaction. Evidence is also provided for the discriminant validity of the scale, including with regard to self-esteem measures.