Motivational correlates of mentally tough behaviours in tennis. Issue 1 (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gucciardi, Daniel F.; Jackson, Ben; Hanton, Sheldon; Reid, Machar
• Is Part Of: Journal of science and medicine in sport. Volume 18:Issue 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 67
• Page End: 71
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- physiology -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Sportgeneeskunde; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2013.11.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1440-2440

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="abs0005"> <title id="sect0005">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="sect0010">Objectives</title> <p id="spar0005">The purpose of this study was to examine motivational correlates of mentally tough behaviours among adolescent tennis players.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0015">Design</title> <p id="spar0010">Two-phase study, involving the development of an informant-rated measure of mentally tough behaviours, followed by a cross-sectional survey including athlete and parent assessments of study variables.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0020">Methods</title> <p id="spar0015">In Phase One, 17 adult, high-performance tennis coaches and 20 athletes participated in focus group interviews. Four scholars with expertise in performance psychology also completed a short, online survey. In Phase Two, a total of 347 adolescent tennis players (<italic>n</italic><sub>males</sub> = 184; <italic>n</italic><sub>females</sub> = 163) aged 12–18 years (<italic>M</italic> = 13.93, <italic>SD</italic> = 1.47) and one respective parent took part in this study. An online multisection survey containing dimensions of passion, inspiration, fear of failure, and mentally tough behaviours was completed. Athletes self-reported all motivational variables, whereas parents rated their child solely on mentally tough behaviours.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0025">Results</title> <p id="spar0020">Structural equation modelling revealed that harmonious passion (<italic>β</italic> = .26, <italic>p</italic> < .01) and frequency of inspiration (<italic>β</italic> = .32, <italic>p</italic> < .001) were associated with significantly higher levels of mentally tough behaviours. In contrast, fear of failure (<italic>β</italic> = −.32, <italic>p</italic> < .001) and obsessive passion (<italic>β</italic> = −.15, <italic>p</italic> < .01) were inversely related to mentally tough behaviours. Inspiration intensity was not significantly associated with mentally tough behaviour (<italic>β</italic> = .13, <italic>p</italic> = .21).</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0030">Conclusions</title> <p id="spar0025">Motivational variables that are dispositional in nature, contextualised and contingent upon features of the environment, and concern one's identity are important considerations for understanding mentally tough behaviours.</p> </sec> </abstract>