The effect of mental toughness on the relationship between irrational performance beliefs and trait anxiety levels of Turkish athletes: a mediation analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/an3aq964Keywords:
mental training, physical training & conditioning, performance anxietyAbstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to examine the mediating effect of mental toughness in the relationship between irrational performance beliefs and trait anxiety in individual and team athletes. METHODOLOGY: A total of 452 licensed athletes, including 150 females (X_age= 20.07 ± 2.20), 302 males (X_age = 20.35 ±3.64), 18 years old and above, who do individual and team sports in the province of Istanbul, participated in the study. "Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory-2 (APIE-2)", "Sports Anxiety Scale 2 (SAS-2)", "Scale of Mental Toughness in Sports (SCI)" and "Personal Information Form" were applied to the participants. In the analysis of the data, correlation and regression analyses and mediation analysis were performed. RESULTS: The findings showed that mental toughness mediated significantly in the relationship between irrational performance beliefs and trait anxiety. In addition, a significant relationship was observed between irrational performance beliefs, disintegration and commitment sub-dimensions of mental toughness, and trait anxiety. As a result, all sub-dimensions of irrational beliefs that are intertwined with the emotions, minds and thoughts of the athletes are among the sub-dimensions of mental toughness, which is expressed as the ability to recover against the negative thoughts and pressures encountered during the performance process, to try to reach the determined goals and to stick to their goals despite the disintegration and difficult conditions. CONCLUSION: It is seen that the sub-dimensions of commitment, the athletes' trait anxiety play a role in determining the distraction of concentration sub-dimension and the general level.
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