Abstract
Research has not examined the influence of gender role in student athletes' receptiveness and openness to practicing mindfulness strategies. Student athletes tend to be perceived as violating traditional gender roles due to accepting more feminine or masculine qualities, which may impact their performance through increased sport-related anxiety and reduced flow states (Chalabaev, et al., 2013; Harrison & Lynch, 2005). The current study used a cross-sectional, correlational approach to examine student athletes' sport-related anxiety and flow experiences, whether gender role related to student athletes' sport-related anxiety and flow experiences, and whether student athletes' use of mindfulness skills was associated with improved sport performance. University of La Verne Division III student athletes (N = 100; 60% female; M = 19.4 years old, SD = 1.17) completed self-report measures before participating in a mindfulness workshop. The analyses found that a more feminine gender role was linked to more mindfulness skills (r = 0.28, p = .005), while a more masculine gender role was associated with lower sport-related anxiety (r = -0.42, p < .001) and greater flow experiences (r = 0.39, p < .001). The relationship between femininity and sport anxiety was not significant, nor did mindfulness skills moderate the relationships between gender role and performance outcomes. Student athletes' identities are unique and complex, which impacts their sport performance. Counseling services, seminars, and team bonding activities for student athletes are resources that may be tailored to improve performance.