The Relationship Between Mindfulness and Distress Tolerance in Employed Female Athletes: The Mediating Role of Mental Toughness
Keywords:
Mindfulness, Mental toughness, Distress tolerance, Female athletes, Structural equation modelingAbstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the mediating role of mental toughness in the relationship between mindfulness and distress tolerance in employed female athletes.
Methods and Materials: This descriptive–correlational study utilized a structural equation modeling design. The statistical population consisted of employed female athletes working in governmental organizations in Shiraz during the second half of 2024. A total of 285 participants were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (Baer et al., 2006), the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (Sheard et al., 2009), and the Distress Tolerance Scale (Simons & Gaher, 2005). After data screening and normality assessment, structural equation modeling was performed using AMOS-27.
Findings: Model fit indices indicated an acceptable structural model (CFI=0.952, GFI=0.949, RMSEA=0.062). Mindfulness had a significant direct effect on mental toughness (β=0.27, p<0.001) and distress tolerance (β=0.48, p<0.001). Mental toughness also had a significant direct effect on distress tolerance (β=0.29, p<0.001). The indirect effect of mindfulness on distress tolerance was significant as well (β=0.109, p<0.001), confirming the mediating role of mental toughness.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that mindfulness enhances distress tolerance both directly and indirectly through the development of mental toughness among employed female athletes. These results highlight the importance of incorporating mental toughness and mindfulness training into psychological and athletic development programs.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Somayyeh Tayyebi, Mohammad Mohammadipour, Majid Barzegar (Author)
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