Assar A, Lueke NA, Eouanzoui KB, Bolin JH. Sleep in NCAA Division I collegiate athletes: Relations with self-compassion, stress, and rumination.
Stress Health 2023. [PMID:
37889608 DOI:
10.1002/smi.3338]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the benefits of self-compassion on sleep difficulties extend to a sample of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college athletes, and to examine the unique contributions of two possible pathways that have been separately evidenced to underlie the self-compassion and sleep difficulties association in non-athlete populations - namely perceived stress and rumination. A total of 412 NCAA Division I college athletes (M = 19.88, SD = 1.50) from 16 different West, Midwest, South, and North-eastern universities completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Perceived Stress Scale-10, Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Findings indicated that self-compassion is associated with fewer sleep difficulties in college athletes, and that lower levels of perceived stress and rumination are independent mechanisms through which self-compassion is associated with sleep difficulties. Further, a comparison of the indirect effects revealed that perceived stress had a significantly stronger indirect effect on the relation between self-compassion and sleep difficulties than rumination. This study provides initial support for self-compassion training as a potentially relevant and important resource for promoting mental health and sleep health in the context of collegiate sport.
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