The positive significance of government-organized nationwide sports events in the post-epidemic era: The impact on citizens' psychological well-being, mindfulness level, and social avoidance distress / La importancia positiva de los eventos deportivos nacionales organizados por el gobierno en la era post-epidemia: el impacto en el bienestar psicológico, el nivel de atención plena y la angustia por evitación social de los ciudadanos

ABSTRACT

Based on the nationwide sports event "Health Walk" held in Ji'an City, we divided the subjects into sports participation group and non-sports participation group to investigate the differences between the two groups in social avoidance and distress, psychological well-being, and mindfulness level. We also examined the mediating role of mindfulness and social avoidance and distress in whether to participate in sports activities and psychological well-being. In addition, we investigated citizens' approval of the government and their city, and collected basic information about the subjects. We used a 2 (sports participation, non-sports participation) * 2 (high social avoidance and distress, low social avoidance and distress) * 2 (high mindfulness level, low mindfulness level) mixed design. We measured the subjects using Watson's Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, the short version of Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire, the Chinese Short Version of the Five-Dimensional Mindfulness Scale, and general survey questionnaires. SPSS 27.0 and the PROCESS plug-in were used to process and analyze the data through descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, correlation analysis and mediation effect tests. The results showed that there were significant differences in social avoidance, distress, and mindfulness levels in whether to participate in sports activities (ps <0.001). Whether to participate in sports activities and psychological well-being were significantly correlated with mindfulness (t = 0.368, p <0.001; t = 0.250, p <0.01), and were significantly correlated with social avoidance and distress (t = -0.307, p <0.001; t = -0.443, p <0.001). Mindfulness and social avoidance fully mediated the influence of sports participation on psychological well-being (ps <0.001).(AU)