A Study on the Relationship of Anxiety and Resilience Among Entrepreneurs: Importance of Leadership Role in Fostering a Mentally Healthy Workplace

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is a state of continuous risk-taking, uncertainty, and responsibility and thus entrepreneurs are vulnerable to psychological issues such as anxiety. Yet resilience buffers and makes adaptation and flourishing possible when experiencing stress. Mindfulness-based programs have proved helpful to reduce psychological distress and allow resilience, yet there is limited research aimed at entrepreneurs with consideration about the Indian context. The present study examined the relationship between anxiety and resilience among entrepreneurs who work at Nashik district, and investigated how implementing a one-month mindfulness program is significant. The purposive sample consisted 50 male entrepreneurs aged 30 to 40 years old. The data collection was conducted by administering Dr. Kranti’s Anxiety Scale and Wagnild’s Resilience Scale (RS-14). Pre-test/post-test single group design was adopted. Participants completed the tools before and after receiving a one-month group mindfulness session. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests. Findings revealed that entrepreneurs had high anxiety and varying levels of resilience before the intervention. After the mindfulness session, anxiety levels significantly reduced, while resilience levels significantly increased. The study concludes that mindfulness training is effective in lowering anxiety and enhancing resilience among entrepreneurs. These findings highlight the importance of resilience-building interventions in fostering psychological well-being and effective leadership in entrepreneurial contexts.