Investigation the Relationship between Mental Toughness and Courage Levels of Sports Sciences Faculty Students for Sustainable Performance

Abstract

This research aimed to explore any links between mental toughness and courage in sports among students enrolled in the faculty of sports science, employing a relational screening model with a sample consisting of 340 university students who were selected using a convenience sampling method. Research data were collected through a Personal Information Form, the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ), and the Sport Courage Scale (SCS). Data analyses included independent groups T-test, One-Way ANOVA, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. Significant differences were detected in the SMTQ and SCS, as well as in the total scale scores, based on the gender variable, which is one of the demographic variables. SMTQ and SCS subdimensions and total scale scores differed significantly according to the university department. Furthermore, the study identified significant differences in the SMTQ and the SCS subdimensions and total scale scores based on the academic year variable. However, no significant relationship was found between age and SMTQ and SCS subdimensions and total scale scores. The findings of this study indicate a significant and positive correlation between the SMTQ and SCS subdimensions and the total scale scores. Therefore, it can be concluded that as the mental toughness levels of the students in sports science increase, their courage levels also increase.

Development of Mental Toughness among Basketball Sports School Students

“…This enables us to focus not only on the specific training of athletic mental toughness skills but also on the development of universal mental toughness skills that are more adaptable to various life situations. Indeed, according to researchers [8], mental toughness is important not only for achieving high-level sports results but also for fostering socially acceptable (positive) behavior. It is stated that the training of mental toughness skills contributes to athletes' sense of social responsibility, willingness to contribute to communal well-being, positive social integration into communal activities, flexible and positive thinking, collaborative skills, and learning from others [9].…”