The Effect of Mental Toughness on the Performance Consistency of Athletes in National-Level Competitions
Keywords:
Mental Toughness, Performance Consistency, National Athletes, Sports Psychology, Competitive PressureAbstract
Mental toughness is a critical psychological construct that enables athletes to sustain high-level performance under conditions of competitive pressure, adversity, and uncertainty. This study investigates the effect of mental toughness on performance consistency among athletes competing at the national level in Indonesia. Using a quantitative correlational approach, data were collected from 120 athletes representing various sports disciplines at the Faculty of Sports Science and Health, Universitas Negeri Makassar, who had participated in at least two national-level competitions within the preceding two years. Mental toughness was measured using the Mental Toughness Questionnaire-48 (MTQ-48), while performance consistency was assessed through longitudinal competition result analysis combined with self-report evaluation. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between mental toughness and performance consistency (r = 0.712, p < 0.01), with mental toughness explaining approximately 50.7% of the variance in performance consistency (R² = 0.507). Sub-components of mental toughness, including challenge, confidence, commitment, and emotional control, each demonstrated statistically significant predictive relationships with performance outcomes. These findings suggest that psychological development programs focused on mental toughness enhancement should be integrated systematically into national-level athletic training regimens
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