Comparison of Mental Toughness among Racket Sports and Combat Sports: A Comparative Study of Mental Toughness in Racket Sports and Combat Sports

Abstract

Gucciardi et. al. (2009) 1suggest that mental toughness is more a function of environment than domains, and as such, mental toughness is potentially important in any environment that requires performance setting, challenges, and adversities. Due to vital importance of mental toughness in sports, this paper focused on the comparison of sport mental toughness among racket sports and combat sports. For this study a total of fifty (N=50) inter university players were selected, which consist of 25 each from judo and table tennis and their age ranges between 18 to 23 years. Mental toughness of the players was assessed by Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ) given by Alan Heary. Which consists of four variables commitmentmotivation, confidence, control under pressure and concentration and each variable consist of six statements. To determine the difference in Sport Mental Toughness level among combat sports and racket sports independent t-test was used as a statistical technique and the significant level was set at 0.05. The mean values of variables, commitmentmotivation 2.88 and 3.76, concentration 2.4 and 2.6, confidence 2.44 and 2.32, control under pressure 2.52 and 2.60 respectively for table tennis players and judokas. The findings of independent t-test showed that there were significant differences between racket sports and combat sports in commitmentmotivation variable but no significant difference found in other variables. As per the questionnaire scoring 88 players from total subjects were found under surviving zone and remaining 12 found under struggling zone of mental toughness.