NCT05466136

Mindfulness, Mental Fatigue, Inhibitory Control and Endurance Performance in Athletes

Completed NA Results posted Last updated 16 March 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Mental fatigue condition in Mental Fatigue in 90 participants. Completed in 31 October 2022.

Timeline

20 April 2022

Primary endpoint
31 October 2022

31 October 2022

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	National Taiwan Normal University
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	crossover
Masking	none
Primary purpose	screening
Enrollment	90
Start date	20 April 2022
Primary completion	31 October 2022
Estimated completion	31 October 2022
Sites	1 location across Taiwan

Drugs / interventions tested

• Mental fatigue condition
• Control condition

Conditions studied

• Mental Fatigue — all drugs for Mental Fatigue →

Sponsor

National Taiwan Normal University

Who can join

Adults 18 to 25, any sex, with Mental Fatigue. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Inhibitory Control: Reaction Time Primary · From enrollment to the end of second intervention at 1 week. During Flanker task, up to 15 minutes.

Inhibitory control will be evaluated by a Flanker task in terms of reaction time in this study, and the types of trials are the congruent (i.e., \> \> \> \> \>) and incongruent (i.e., \< \< \> \< \<). In the Flanker task, participants were presented with five arrows and instructed to respond as quickly and accurately as possible to the direction where the middle arrow is pointing (i.e., left or right).

Mental fatigue condition(Incongruent trials)

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	461.01	± 12.57
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	448.68	± 11.04
Lower Trait Mindfulness	444.35	± 12.34

Control condition (Incongruent trials)

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	465.88	± 11.90
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	446.33	± 10.45
Lower Trait Mindfulness	455.91	± 11.69

Inhibitory Control: Accuracy Primary · From enrollment to the end of second intervention at 1 week. During Flanker task, up to 15 minutes.

Inhibitory control will be evaluated by a Flanker task in terms of accuracy in this study, and the types of trials are the congruent (i.e., \> \> \> \> \>) and incongruent (i.e., \< \< \> \< \<). In the Flanker task, participants were presented with five arrows and instructed to respond as quickly and accurately as possible to the direction where the middle arrow is pointing (i.e., left or right).

Mental fatigue condition (Incongruent trials)

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	89.26	± 2.23
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	84.32	± 1.96
Lower Trait Mindfulness	80.04	± 2.19

Control condition (Incongruent trials)

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	89.14	± 1.92
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	87.21	± 1.69
Lower Trait Mindfulness	84.16	± 1.89

Endurance Performance: Time to Exhaustion Primary · From enrollment to the end of second intervention at 1 week. During graded exercise test, up to 30 minutes

The endurance performance in terms of time to exhaustion (TTE) will be assessed by graded exercise test (GXT) with Bruce protocol on treadmill (h/p/cosmos pulsar 3p, Germany). The initial speed and grade of the GXT will be set at 2.74 km/hr with grade of 10% and increase speed and grade every 3 min until participants are volitionally exhausted.

Mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	807.62	± 17.58
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	783.35	± 15.55
Lower Trait Mindfulness	752.94	± 17.41

Control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	819.99	± 17.38
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	794.97	± 15.38
Lower Trait Mindfulness	792.62	± 17.21

Endurance Performance: Maximum Oxygen Consumption Primary · From enrollment to the end of second intervention at 1 week. During graded exercise test, up to 30 minutes.

The maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) throughout the whole GXT will be recorded by a computerized indirect calorimetry system (SensorMedics Vmax 29C, USA), and until the participants reached volitional exhaustion. The VO2max in the study will be defined as the highest 30-s average value of VO2 measured during GXT.

Mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	60.77	± 1.50
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	61.70	± 1.33
Lower Trait Mindfulness	57.43	± 1.48

Control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	61.39	± 1.58
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	60.65	± 1.40
Lower Trait Mindfulness	58.87	± 1.56

Changes in Neuroelectrical Activities Primary · From enrollment to the end of second intervention at 1 week. During Flanker task, up to 15 minutes.

Neuroelectrical activity during the Flanker task was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) with continuous data acquisition throughout task performance. Changes in neuroelectrical activity were operationalized as differences in event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes during the Flanker task (e.g., N2 and P3 components). The mean amplitudes of the N2 and P3 were quantified within predefined time windows of 250-350 ms and 350-550 ms, respectively, following stimulus onset.

N2 amplitude in mental fatigue condition (Incongruent trials)

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	-1.29	± 0.77
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	-1.47	± 0.67
Lower Trait Mindfulness	-1.18	± 0.75

N2 amplitude in control condition (Incongruent trials)

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	-0.12	± 1.04
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	-1.01	± 0.91
Lower Trait Mindfulness	-0.89	± 1.02

P3 amplitude in mental fatigue condition (Incongruent trials)

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	6.78	± 0.78
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	7.33	± 0.68
Lower Trait Mindfulness	7.56	± 0.76

P3 amplitude in control condition (Incongruent trials)

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	6.88	± 0.86
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	6.22	± 0.75
Lower Trait Mindfulness	6.66	± 0.84

Subjective Mental Fatigue Secondary · Three standardized time points within each experimental session at baseline and post-intervention: T0 (before the Stroop task), T1 (after the Stroop task), and T2 (after the Flanker task).

Before, after Stroop task, and after Flanker task, changes in subjective mental fatigue was measured using a visual analog scale for mental fatigue (VAS-MF). Participants were asked the following questions "What is your mental fatigue level now?", and participants could indicate how mental fatigue on a scale from 0 (i.e., no mental fatigue at all) to 100 (i.e., completely mentally exhausted).

T0 at mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	20.93	± 2.33
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	26.29	± 2.05
Lower Trait Mindfulness	27.14	± 2.29

T1 at mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	45.26	± 2.91
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	48.00	± 2.56
Lower Trait Mindfulness	51.79	± 2.86

T2 at mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	47.04	± 3.57
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	52.57	± 3.14
Lower Trait Mindfulness	58.39	± 3.51

T0 at control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	22.04	± 2.48
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	25.86	± 2.18
Lower Trait Mindfulness	24.64	± 2.44

T1 at control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	36.30	± 2.78
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	39.43	± 2.45
Lower Trait Mindfulness	38.75	± 2.73

T2 at control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	35.56	± 2.98
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	39.71	± 2.62
Lower Trait Mindfulness	39.64	± 2.93

Objective Mental Fatigue: Reaction Time in Stroop Task Secondary · From enrollment to the end of second intervention at 1 week. During Stroop task, up to 30 minutes.

During the intervention, the reaction time in both Stroop tasks was calculated as an index of objective mental fatigue.

Mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	636.66	± 13.55
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	626.64	± 11.90
Lower Trait Mindfulness	617.74	± 13.31

Control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	587.14	± 13.02
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	591.25	± 11.441
Lower Trait Mindfulness	589.76	± 12.79

Objective Mental Fatigue: Accuracy in Stroop Task Secondary · From enrollment to the end of second intervention at 1 week. During Stroop task, up to 30 minutes.

During the intervention, the accuracy in both Stroop tasks was calculated as an index of objective mental fatigue.

Mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	84.18	± 1.96
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	86.39	± 1.72
Lower Trait Mindfulness	85.48	± 1.96

Control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	89.95	± 12.29
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	90.29	± 1.14
Lower Trait Mindfulness	89.28	± 1.29

Mood State Secondary · Two standardized time points within each experimental session at baseline and post-intervention: T0 (before the Stroop task) and T1 (after the Stroop task).

Mood state was determined by the difference in scores on the Brunel Mood Scale-Chinese (BRUMS-C) between before (i.e., T0) and after (i.e., T1) Stroop task. The BRUMS-C consists of 23 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale and comprises six subscales: anger, confusion, depression, tension, fatigue, and vigor. Each subscale score is calculated as the mean of its corresponding items, with possible scores ranging from 0 to 4. Higher mean scores indicate greater intensity of the respective mood state.

BRUMS-Anger at T0 in mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	0.148	± 0.05
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	0.057	± 0.04
Lower Trait Mindfulness	0.116	± 0.049

BRUMS-Anger at T1 in mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	0.111	± 0.08
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	0.121	± 0.073
Lower Trait Mindfulness	0.375	± 0.081

BRUMS-Anger at T0 in control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	0.093	± 0.065
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	0.179	± 0.057
Lower Trait Mindfulness	0.107	± 0.064

BRUMS-Anger at T1 in control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	0.056	± 0.061
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	0.107	± 0.054
Lower Trait Mindfulness	0.196	± 0.06

BRUMS-Confusion at T0 in mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	0.481	± 0.108
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	0.35	± 0.095
Lower Trait Mindfulness	0.616	± 0.106

BRUMS-Confusion at T1 in mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	0.676	± 0.146
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	0.85	± 0.129
Lower Trait Mindfulness	1.339	± 0.144

BRUMS-Confusion at T0 in control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	0.259	± 0.099
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	0.607	± 0.087
Lower Trait Mindfulness	0.455	± 0.098

BRUMS-Confusion at T1 in control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	0.472	± 0.109
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	0.764	± 0.095
Lower Trait Mindfulness	0.777	± 0.107

Motivation Secondary · From enrollment to the end of second intervention at 1 week. Immediately after completing Flanker task and GXT.

The level of effort exerted by participants during the Flanker task and GXT was assessed using the VAS for motivation (VAS-M). Immediately after completing each task, participants were also asked to mark a 100mm line to rate their motivation to perform at their best (i.e., "How motivated are you to perform to the best of your ability in the task?") on a scale ranging from 0, indicating "not at all," to 100, indicating "extremely motivated."

Flanker task motivation in mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	87.22	± 2.58
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	87.57	± 2.26
Lower Trait Mindfulness	85.89	± 2.53

Flanker task motivation in control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	87.19	± 2.10
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	90.91	± 1.85
Lower Trait Mindfulness	86.43	± 2.07

GXT motivation in mental fatigue condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	92.22	± 1.81
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	90.71	± 1.59
Lower Trait Mindfulness	91.25	± 1.78

GXT motivation in control condition

Group	Value	95% CI
Higher Trait Mindfulness	92.59	± 1.80
Intermediate Trait Mindfulness	92.43	± 1.58
Lower Trait Mindfulness	94.29	± 1.77

Sponsor's own description

This study investigated whether trait mindfulness in athletes is associated with impairments in neurocognitive function and endurance performance resulting from mental fatigue.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.