Role Of Mental Toughness Research Articles

Does mental toughness predict happiness over and above resilience, self-efficacy and grit?

There is conceptual overlap between mental toughness and resilience, self-efficacy, and grit, although few studies have empirically examined the overlap between them. In addition, little research has examined the extent to which there is an empirical advantage of using the mental toughness framework to predict outcomes of interest. The current study therefore explored the predictive validity of mental toughness, specifically in terms of the extent to which it predicts happiness over and above the cognate constructs of resilience, self-efficacy, and grit. Three hundred and sixty-seven participants completed measures of mental toughness, resilience, self-efficacy, grit, and happiness. The correlations between the variables were explored, and a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to examine the extent to which mental toughness predicted happiness over and above resilience, self-efficacy, and grit. There were significant correlations between mental toughness, resilience, self-efficacy, and grit. When resilience, self-efficacy and grit were entered into the regression each of them was a significant predictor of happiness, but when mental toughness was added they were no longer significant predictors, with the commitment, control of emotion, control of life, confidence in abilities, and interpersonal confidence components of mental toughness being significant predictors. Therefore, despite conceptual overlap, if the aim of research or practice is to identify individuals at risk of poor wellbeing, then this aim is better met when using the construct of mental toughness. The role of mental toughness in happiness also suggests value in examining the impact of mental toughness interventions in the domain of wellbeing.

Coach-athlete relationship and burnout symptoms among young elite athletes and the role of mental toughness as a moderator

Abstract: Introduction: Social and contextual factors play an important role for elite athletes’ mental health. In the present study, we examined how young elite athletes’ coach-athlete relationship appraisals are associated with and longitudinally predict general and athlete-specific burnout symptoms and whether mental toughness moderates the association between the coach-athlete relationship and burnout symptoms. Methods: In this prospective study, data were collected twice within a 6 to 10-month interval. The sample consisted of 295 athletes attending Swiss Olympic Partner Schools (186 boys, 109 girls), with a mean age of 16.73±1.38 years. The following instruments were applied: Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q), Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ), Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM), and Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ). Cross-lagged panel analyses were performed to examine reciprocal relationships across time. Interaction effects were tested via hierarchical regression analyses. Results: Cross-sectionally, athletes who perceived their coach-athlete relationship as negative reported more general and athlete-specific burnout symptoms. Burnout symptoms were relatively stable across time, which made it difficult to explain further variance via coach-athlete relationship appraisals in the prospective analyses. While higher mental toughness scores were associated with fewer burnout symptoms in the cross-sectional analyses, higher mental toughness did not moderate the association between the coach-athlete relationship and burnout symptoms. Conclusion: The coach-athlete relationship plays an important role in athletes’ mental health. Therefore, coaches need the ability to develop effective relationships with their athletes, including thoughtful and respectful communication about issues specific to sport and life generally.

The Role of Mental Toughness in Improving Achievement: The Perspective of Sport Psychology on Student-Athletes

The Role of Mental Toughness in Improving Achievement: The Perspective of Sport Psychology on Student-Athletes

From Physical Activity Intention to Behavior: The Moderation Role of Mental Toughness Among College Students and Wage Earners.

This study explored the correlation between mental toughness (MT) and physical activity (PA), and the moderation role between PA intention and subsequent behavior among college students and wage earners. Five hundred ninety-one college students (251 male, 340 female) aged from 19 to 24 and 285 (157 male, 127 female) wage earners aged from 27 to 58 recruited from seven colleges and five cities in China. A Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) questionnaire, MT Inventory, and the International PA Questionnaire was completed online. Results showed that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control explained 46.5 and 38.3% variance in PA intention among college students and wage earners separately. Intention predicted PA behavior significantly among college students and wage earners. Structural equation modeling indicated that the TPB model and the moderation model have an adequate to good fit except the TPB model among wage earners. MT was positively correlated with PA among college students and wage earners and had a significant moderation role in intention-behavior gap among college students and partially affected the transfer of PA intention to behavior among college students. Individuals with high MT had high levels of PA regardless of intention, while PA of those with low MT was low and unstable. Future research should further explore the correlation between intention and PA and the moderation role of MT in different populations using a longitudinal study in order to better understand the correlation between intention and PA, and the transition from intention to PA and better guidance PA intervention to promote PA.

The Effects of Parent-Classmate-Teacher Support on Early Adolescents’ School Mental Health: the Mediating Role of Mental Toughness

Perceived social support is an important predictor of school mental health outcomes of students. However, more research is needed on the indirect effects in this association. The present study aimed to investigate the direct and indirect effects (via mental toughness) of parent-classmate-teacher support on early adolescents’ school mental health. A total of 359 early adolescents (Mage = 12.77, SD = 0.91) from grades 6 to 8 participated in the research. The child and adolescent support scale, mental toughness scale for adolescents, and psychological wellbeing and distress screener were used as measuring instruments. The results suggest the importance of perceived social support from parents and classmates for school well-being, as well as the importance of mediating role of mental toughness. The present results extend our insight into the mechanism underlying the links between perceived social support and school mental health outcomes. Implications and limitations are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Mental Toughness As A Moderator Of The Physical Exercise - Esports Performance Relationship: A Pilot Study.

eSports popularity has been growing faster than any sport in history (global audience, money prizes, NCAA scholarships, part of 2022 Asian Games). Preliminary data show a positive relationship between physical exercise (PEx) and eSports performance (eSP). To date, there has been no effort to explore the effect of the player’s level of mental toughness (MT) on eSports key performance indicators (KPI), such as placement in a contest. PURPOSE: (a) To explore the perceptions of players concerning the relationship between PEx and eSP; (b) To confirm the positive aforementioned relationship; (c) to investigate the moderation effect of MT in that relationship; and (d) provide evidence for larger-scale efforts. METHODS: Data were collected on 23 male recreational eSport competitors (>6hours per week) (Mage =20.7, SD=2.1). The eight-item Mental Toughness Index (MTI) was used to measure MT, one question with five scales (0=significantly negatively, 5=significantly positively) was used to collect information on their perceptions, number of days of exercise per week was used as an indicator of PEx, and average place on Fortnite: Solo matches over 3 hours was used as KPI. We investigated the moderating role of MT using regression analysis in R. Predictors were mean-centered. The interaction was probed looking at simple slopes. RESULTS: The majority of players tended to perceive PEx as having no significant or negative effect on eSP (65%). The estimated regression model without an interaction is KPI = 27.6 + 3.13(PEx) + 1.07(MT), where R2 = .296. The estimated regression model with an interaction is KPI = 26.7 + 3.36(PEx) + 0.85(MT) + 0.4(PEx x MT), where R2 = .310. Simple slopes of PEx conditional on MT scores +1SD, Mean, and -1SD are: 4.72, 3.29, and 1.86, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to the players’ belief, PEx was found to be positively correlated with eSP. Furthermore, we identified a potentially enhancing moderating effect of MT on the relationship between frequency of exercise and eSP. Therefore, not only PEx but also psychological skill training (PST), such as MT training, may be beneficial for the players on their effort to place higher and win larger prizes. This pilot study offers preliminary evidence for the need for larger-scale similar projects. Future studies should recruit professional eSports players, as well.

Strength-based parenting and adolescents’ psychological outcomes: The role of mental toughness

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects (via mental toughness) of strength-based parenting on adolescents’ psychological distress and subjective happiness. Participants included 370 adolescents (M= 15.86 years,SD= 0.50, range = 14–18 years, 51.6% girls) attending public high schools in Turkey. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires that included measures of strength-based parenting, mental toughness, psychological distress, and subjective happiness. Findings provided evidence of both direct as well as indirect effects (via mental toughness) of strength-based parenting on adolescents’ psychological outcomes. Specifically, results showed that strength-based parenting was negatively and directly related to psychological distress, and positively and directly related to subjective happiness. In addition, strength-based parenting was indirectly related to psychological distress and subjective happiness through mental toughness. The findings highlight the importance of strength-based parenting and mental toughness on psychological outcomes in adolescents.

Perfectionism and motivation in sport: The mediating role of mental toughness

An extensive body of research has been done on the links between perfectionism and motivation, yet the underlying mechanisms linking these psychological characteristics have been underexplored. In this study, we used an integrative modelling approach to examine associations between dimensions of perfectionism (i.e. personal standards [PSP] and concerns over mistakes [CMP]), mental toughness (MT) and motivational orientations (i.e. self-determined motivation [SDM] and non-self-determined motivation [NSDM]). Based on a sample of 318 male (n=218) and female (n=100) tennis players (Mage=17.61, SDage=2.41), fit indices derived from structural equation modelling supported a partially mediated model. Residual PSP associated positively with MT (β=0.74) and SDM (β=0.40), and negatively with NSDM (β=-0.22). Conversely, residual CMP associated negatively with MT (β=-0.14) and SDM (β=-0.19), and positively with NSDM (β=0.73). Mental toughness was positively associated with SDM (β=0.28), but was unrelated to NSDM (β=0.07). The relationship between residual PSP and SDM was partially mediated by MT (standardised indirect effect: 95% CI=0.19, 0.46). The findings of this study support research linking dimensions of perfectionism with motivational orientations and offer preliminary evidence on the mediating role of MT in the association between these psychological constructs. With emerging research supporting the capacity to develop MT through targeted interventions, the findings are discussed alongside salient implications.
 Significance: 
 
 Mental toughness partially mediated the association between pure personal standards perfectionism and self-determined motivation.
 Particularly among athletes with higher personal standards of perfectionism, more autonomous forms of motivation may be sustained via efforts that seek to develop athletes’ mental toughness.

Academic success: the role of mental toughness in predicting and creating success

ABSTRACTResearch examining the links between Mental Toughness, Positive and Negative Affect and Academic Success was presented at the Annual Higher Education STEM Conference (HEA STEM). The results indicated that undergraduate students of psychology (n = 141) showed a positive correlation between Control of Life (a component of Mental Toughness) and Academic Success, as measured by their grades. Further relationships between components of each scale were found to differ between genders. Females showed negative relationships between Confidence in Abilities and Control of Emotion and Academic Success, while males showed links only between Commitment and Positive Affect, and Commitment and Academic Success – both of these being positive relationships. In this conference reflection piece, the results of this research will be examined in the light of the wider discussions on employability in relation to ‘Resilience’ and how Academic Success is measured.

Do Individual Differences in Emotion Regulation Mediate the Relationship Between Mental Toughness and Symptoms of Depression?

Abstract. Mental Toughness (MT) provides crucial psychological capacities for achievement in sports, education, and work settings. Previous research examined the role of MT in the domain of mental health and showed that MT is negatively associated with and predictive of fewer depressive symptoms in nonclinical populations. The present study aimed at (1) investigating to what extent mentally tough individuals use two emotion regulation strategies: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression; (2) exploring whether individual differences in emotion regulation strategy use mediate the relationship between MT and depressive symptoms. Three hundred sixty-four participants (M = 24.31 years, SD = 9.16) provided self-reports of their levels of MT, depressive symptoms, and their habitual use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. The results showed a statistically significant correlation between MT and two commonly used measures of depressive symptoms. A small statistically significant positive correlation between MT and the habitual use of cognitive reappraisal was also observed. The correlation between MT and the habitual use of expressive suppression was statistically significant, but the size of the effect was small. A statistical mediation model indicated that individual differences in the habitual use of expressive suppression mediate the relationship between MT and depressive symptoms. No such effect was found for the habitual use of cognitive reappraisal. Implications of these findings and possible avenues for future research are discussed.

Ultramarathon Runners’ Perceptions of Mental Toughness: A Qualitative Inquiry

Ultramarathon running entails coping with unanticipated environmental circumstances and intense physical and psychological fatigue; a sport in which the role of mental toughness can be crucial. This research focused on semistructured interviews with 12 ultramarathon runners who volunteered to discuss their perceptions of mental toughness. The data allowed researchers to gather a multidimensional view of mental toughness from ultramarathon runners’ experiences and perspective in addition to providing a snapshot of the challenges and demands ultrarunners face, as well as ethical concerns associated with athletes pushing themselves beyond their limits. Central themes included: perseverance/persistence, overcoming adversity, perspective, life experience, psychological skills use, and camaraderie in the ultra community. A deeper understanding of mental toughness obtained from a sample of ultramarathon runners can inform consultants working to improve quality or consistency of performance, and become aware of ethical concerns of encouraging athletes to exceed perceptual or actual limitations.

Surviving the 2015 Mount Everest disaster: A phenomenological exploration into lived experience and the role of mental toughness

ObjectivesThe 2015 Nepal earthquake and subsequent avalanche at Mount Everest Base Camp is the deadliest mountaineering disaster to date. This study is novel in exploring the lived experiences of survivors and the role of mental toughness in their psychological responses to the disaster. DesignPhenomenological study. MethodTen mountaineers, who were on expeditions during the earthquake, participated in phenomenological interviews. Data were analysed inductively and thematically, while strategies to enhance trustworthiness were also employed. ResultsSeven dimensions emerged from the data, which captured climbers' psychological responses to the disaster, ranging from the moments the earthquake hit to reflections on the disaster after returning home. Contrasting emotional responses were described, and suggested to depend on experience and mental toughness. Negative emotional and behavioural responses were reported in the aftermath. Some climbers reported post-traumatic stress, but also a strong desire to return to Mount Everest and continue mountaineering. ConclusionsThese findings provide detailed insights into the lived experiences of climbers who survived the 2015 Nepal earthquake and Base Camp avalanche. Findings also shed light on the role of mental toughness in coping with and responding to a major natural disaster.

International students’ attachment and psychological well-being: the mediation role of mental toughness

This study examined the relationships of adult attachment, mental toughness (MT), and psychological well-being of international students. We hypothesized that attachment anxiety and avoidance would predict psychological well-being outcome variables and that MT would mediate the attachment-wellbeing links. The participants were 217 international students from a large public college in the United States. Structure Equation Modeling analyses were used to examine the proposed mediation effects. Result showed that MT functioned as a mediator for the paths between attachment anxiety and the two well-being latent variables of psychological distress and life satisfaction. On the other hand, attachment avoidance was found to have a more direct effect on adjustment difficulties without going through MT. Limitation and counseling implications are discussed.

The Role of Mental Toughness in Coping and Injury Response in Female Roller Derby and Rugby Athletes

In this study, we explored mental toughness, injury response, and coping among female athletes in roller derby (n = 68) and collegiate rugby (n = 122). Participants completed a survey with measures of mental toughness, hardiness, optimism, coping with injury and psychological response to injury, as well as questions regarding injury status. Injured roller derby players had a more negative response to injury than injured rugby players, but did not differ on mental toughness. Mental toughness was related to approach styles of coping and negatively related to adverse psychological responses to injury. Rugby players who would play through injury reported higher mental toughness than those who would not play through injury; however, the reverse was found for roller derby players. Mental toughness is related to adaptive coping and positive injury response, but also to engaging in activity when injured, with potential detrimental effects.

An Analysis of the Components of Mental Toughness in Body-Contact Sport: Keys to Athletic Success

The researchers of this study aims to know about the role of mental toughness in performance of body-contact sport. To obtain data, the investigators had selected One Hundred and Twenty Five (N=125) male Inter-college level body-contact sport athletes of 19 to 25 years of age to act as subjects. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the subjects. All the subjects, after having been informed about the objective and protocol of the study, gave their consent and volunteered to participate in this study. To measure the level of mental toughness of the subjects, the mental toughness battery constructed by Goldberg [1] was administered. One way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to find out the intra-group differences. Where F values were found significant, LSD (Least Significant Difference) Post-hoc test was applied to find out the direction and degree of difference. For testing the hypotheses, the level of significance was set at 0.05. The results revealed significant differences have been noticed among body contact sports on the sub-parameters: ability to handle pressure, motivation and overall mental toughness. It has been observed that handball player had demonstrated significantly better on ability to handle pressure, whereas football players also had demonstrated significantly better on motivation and overall mental toughness as compared to their counterpart other body contact sport athletes. However, No significant differences were found on the sub-parameters; reboundability, concentration and confidence.

Cognitive Appraisals in Sport: The Direct and Moderating Role of Mental Toughness

The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between mental toughness and cognitive appraisals, in addition to exploring the moderating influence of mental toughness upon cognitive appraisals. A total of 296 athletic participants (male n = 200; female n = 96) aged between 16 and 51 years (M age = 21.92 years, SD = 4.61) took part in this study. Moderated multiple regression analysis revealed mental toughness had a significant negative relationship with threat appraisal and a significant positive relationship with challenge. Additionally, mental toughness had a moderating influence upon the centrality-threat appraisal relationship. Overall, these findings imply interventions aimed at threat appraisal manipulation could be targeted at lower mentally tough athletes.