Date Approved
5-27-2026
Graduate Degree Type
Project
Degree Name
Education (M.Ed.)
Degree Program
Education Leadership & Counseling
First Advisor
Dr. Laila McCloud
Academic Year
2025/2026
Abstract
Finding ways for collegiate student-athletes to improve and manage mental health can boost persistence and retention rates athletically and academically (Credé et al., 2017; Mohebi et al., 2021). Providing mental health resources is not enough to support student-athletes because of mental health stigma and the fear of losing playing time from accepting help for physical or mental injury (Criticos et al., 2020; Sheffield & Stutts, 2020). Implementing sports team mindfulness-based mental health interventions for collegiate student-athletes can improve student-athletes’ overall well-being (Augustus et al., 2023; O’Brien & Kilrea, 2021). Additionally, utilizing grit theory as a predictive measure of one’s passion and perseverance has the potential to help identify student-athletes who may need mental health support in the future (Cormier et al., 2024; Duckworth et al., 2011; Gray et al., 2023). This project will propose mindfulness-based interventions that can help student-athletes increase athletic and academic performance as well as gain improved mental health over time.
ScholarWorks Citation
Hylen, Andrew J., "The Persistence of Mindfulness Training: Grit as an Indicator of Student-Athletes’ Mental Health" (2026). Culminating Experience Projects. 681.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gradprojects/681
