Authors
Gustavo Saldo, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
Tomas Chapman-Lopez, Integrated Laboratory of Exercise, Nutrition, and Renal Vascular Research, Health Human Performance and Recreation, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
Andrew R. Gallucci, Integrated Laboratory of Exercise, Nutrition, and Renal Vascular Research, Health Human Performance and Recreation, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
Leroy K. Bolden, Integrated Laboratory of Exercise, Nutrition, and Renal Vascular Research, Health Human Performance and Recreation, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
Olivia Russell, Integrated Laboratory of Exercise, Nutrition, and Renal Vascular Research, Health Human Performance and Recreation, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
Jeffrey Forsee, Integrated Laboratory of Exercise, Nutrition, and Renal Vascular Research, Health Human Performance and Recreation, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
Andreas Stamatis, [1] Health & Sport Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA, [2] Sports Medicine Institute, University of Louisville Health, Louisville, KY, USA
International Journal of Exercise Science 19(5): 5009, 2026.
Abstract
Balancing performance demands with self- care is essential for psychological health. Mental toughness (MT) and self-compassion (SC) are often viewed as opposing constructs; yet, athlete studies suggest mindfulness (MF) may connect them. Whether this extends to non- athlete adults is unclear. This study tested whether MF mediates the MT–SC relationship in a community sample. Eighty-four adults (M_age = 44.4 years) completed measures of MT, SC excluding MF items (SC_noMF), and the MF subscale scored separately. Missing data were addressed with 20 multiple imputations, and confirmatory factor analyses supported construct separation. Mediation models adjusted for age and sex used 5,000 bootstrap resamples with pooled estimates and bias-corrected accelerated confidence intervals. MT correlated with both SC_ noMF (r = .46, p < .001) and MF (r = .52, p < .001). MT predicted MF (a = .42, p < .001), and MF predicted SC_noMF when controlling MT (b = .62, p < .001). The indirect effect was significant (a×b = .26, 95% CI [.15, .39]), while the direct MT→SC_noMF path was not (c′ = .08, p = .24), indicating full mediation. The total effect (.34, 95% CI [.20, .48]) showed that ~76% of the association was mediated. A model specifying MT → MF → SC_noMF fit better than a reversed ordering. MF fully mediated the MT–SC relationship in this community sample, extending athlete-based findings and suggesting that persistence and self-kindness can coexist. MF may serve as a practical mechanism linking performance-oriented focus with compassionate self-regulation. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify causal pathways.