Effects of mindfulness training and locus of control on self-efficacy of professional football players in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Plethora psychological skills training have proven to be effective on either to improve athletes’ performance or parameters that indirectly contribute to overall performance enhancement among elite athletes in Nigeria, while there is little or no studies on the recent recognized mindfulness training in sport psychology. However, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of mindfulness training and locus of control on selfefficacy of elite football players in Nigeria. Method: This study employed experimental design of pre-test, posttest control group. The study recruited 35 participants which were randomly assigned into experimental (n=18) and control (n=17) group, age ranged between 16 and 32years (M age = 22.6years, SD = 1.47). Eight weeks intervention program of mindfulness acceptance commitment (MAC) was conducted for experimental group, while control group counterparts received no intervention. The participants completed Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and Adapted Levenson Multidimensional Locus of control scales (ALMLC). Both groups completed the instruments at pre-test and post-test evaluation in about 25-30minutes. The data collected was analysed by using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni Pairwise Comparison. Results: This revealed that MAC was effective in enhancing self-efficacy of the intervention group compared to control group (F(1,30) = 11.455, p< 0.05). The study indicated that locus of control increased self-efficacy of intervention group than the control group participants (F(1,30) = 51.16, p< 0.01). The study added that participants with internal locus of control had higher mean scores than the participants with external locus of control. There was no significant interaction between treatment, locus of control and selfefficacy (F(1,30)= 2.537, p> 0.05). Conclusion: This study provided an insight that MAC is an effective mindfulness training program and locus of control to enhance and increase self-efficacy of elite football players which in turn could improve performance and attain success.