Are mental toughness and mental health contradictory concepts in elite sport? A narrative review of theory and evidence

The Sociology of Sports Work, Emotions and Mental Health: Scoping the Field and Future Directions

“…Approaching work using this conceptual framework restricts the possibility of there being such a constant and debilitating overemphasis on autonomous spheres of productionwe might consider the production of mental toughness in this connection (Gucciardi et al, 2017) athletes. As many other social scientists have indicated, 'work' is not solely tied to economic production, but for example, a parent 'taxiing' and 'supporting' a young athlete may help the employment prospects of a coach and, potentially, the production line of a future professional athlete.…”

Life on an Emotional Roller Coaster: NFL Players and Their Family Members’ Perspectives on Player Mental Health

“…A number of factors related to emotional wellbeing have been identified among athletes, some of which are unique to sports. For example, depression is linked to injury, involuntary career termination (Wolanin, Gross & Hong, 2015), performance "failure" when accomplishments do not meet expectations, and disconnection with family or social supports (Hammond et al, 2013;Gucciardi, Hanton & Fleming, 2017;Weigand, Cohen & Merenstein, 2013;Wolanin et al, 2015). Loss of autonomy and identity foreclosure have also been suggested as risk factors (Hughes & Leavey, 2012).…”

“…Roderick, Smith and Potrac (2017) point to a work environment in professional sports that can be dehumanizing and insecure, forcing athletes to relinquish autonomy and blurring their public and private worlds. Other researchers emphasize the effects of stigma and the barriers to help-seeking (Bauman, 2016;Gucciardi et al, 2017;Gulliver, Griffiths, & Christensen, 2012).…”

Is there an upside of vulnerability in sport? A mindfulness approach applied in the pursuit of psychological strength

“…In contrast, Gucciardi, Hanton, and Fleming (2017) argued that it is too premature to determine whether mental toughness and mental health are contradictory terms. However, there is still reason to believe that the context of high performance sport may foster conditions in which personal resources such as those encompassed by psychological strengths (e.g., overcoming obstacles, perseverance) are valued so highly that individuals may be less likely or unwilling to show vulnerability or seek help for mental health issues because of the anticipation of being perceived as weak or treated unfairly (Gucciardi et al, 2017).…”

“…In contrast, Gucciardi, Hanton, and Fleming (2017) argued that it is too premature to determine whether mental toughness and mental health are contradictory terms. However, there is still reason to believe that the context of high performance sport may foster conditions in which personal resources such as those encompassed by psychological strengths (e.g., overcoming obstacles, perseverance) are valued so highly that individuals may be less likely or unwilling to show vulnerability or seek help for mental health issues because of the anticipation of being perceived as weak or treated unfairly (Gucciardi et al, 2017). Moreover, considering this cultural stigma toward mental "weakness"with a co-existence of poor self or emotional awareness, it is quite plausible that a given individual would be unable or reluctant to disclose to others, unable to or unwilling to reflect on their own limitations, mistakes, or needs, resulting in a desire to control or suppress any kind of perceived weakness.…”