Mental toughness and athletic performance: a narrative review
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Raja Soundara Pandian Pachaiappan
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Veera Balajikumar Veeraswamy
Abstract
Background
Mental toughness represents a crucial psychological construct in competitive sports. This narrative review examines the relationship between mental toughness and athletic performance across various sports domains.
Methods
We conducted a comprehensive literature review of empirical studies published between 2000 and 2024. Relevant articles were identified through database searches including PubMed, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science. Studies examining mental toughness in relation to performance outcomes in competitive athletes were included.
Results
Evidence consistently shows positive correlations between mental toughness and athletic performance (r=0.21–0.63). Mental toughness demonstrates stronger associations with performance in individual sports compared to team sports. Additionally, psychological interventions targeting mental toughness components show promise for enhancing athletic outcomes.
Conclusions
Mental toughness represents a significant psychological factor in athletic achievement. The construct influences performance through multiple pathways including resilience to pressure, emotional regulation, and focus maintenance. Practical applications for coaches and sport psychologists are discussed.
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Research ethics: Not applicable.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
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Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Data availability: Not applicable.
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