This randomized controlled trial examined whether Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) improves objective performance under pressure, increases flow, and reduces competitive anxiety and aggression in youth soccer. Fifty-two male academy outfield players were randomized to 6 weeks of MSPE or an education-based active attention control. Assessments were completed pre, post, and 3-month follow-up; 90-min matches were framed as selection-relevant trials and video-coded by blinded raters. Mixed analyses of variance showed a significant Group × Time interaction for under pressure performance (p < .001): MSPE improved at posttest and remained superior at follow-up. Relative to education-based active attention control, flow increased and somatic anxiety decreased, with smaller effects for cognitive anxiety and aggression; aggression was not maintained. Findings were robust to sensitivity analyses using linear mixed-effects model. Exploratory mediation analyses provided no clear evidence that changes in psychological variables explained performance gains. Overall, MSPE offers a practical, field-ready approach for supporting under pressure performance and related psychological outcomes in youth soccer.
Farsi et al. (Thu,) studied this question.