A Comparative Study of the Mental Toughness among Different Level of Football Players

INTRODUCTION

In the scientific and sport community, mental toughness is viewed as one of the most important attributes that will lead to a successful athletic performance (Bull et.al. 2005). Mental toughness implies the ability to handle pressure and adversities which may arise during competition. There are many challenges and obstacles in which players face during their football career such as having a poor performance, suffering from a serious injury and many others. The purpose of this study was to compare the mental toughness among different level of football players which constituted Under-15, Under-17 and senior level players. With the contrast in age, experience and the level of competition in which aforesaid level of football players faced, it is apparent that the degree of mental toughness differs among the different levels of football players. Through this comparison we aimed to find out the significant differences with respect to mental toughness which arises among the different level of football players. From reviewing of related literature, it was evident that previous studies focused on mental toughness among youth players only but the comparison between youth players and senior players in the context of mental toughness has not been given much attention. Many studies failed to find the differences in mental toughness between young football players and senior players. Due to vital importance of mental toughness in football, the present study focuses on the comparison of mental toughness between different level of soccer players.

A total of 90 male State and National level male football players were selected from three categories that is under-15, under-17 and Senior level with their age ranging between 13-32 years. The total samples

Subroto Cup competition; the data for the U-17 category was collected from the U-18 Youth I-league team and for the senior category and the data was collected from players who participated in the Santosh Trophy competition. All participants were fully informed about the aims of the study, the procedures, and gave their voluntary consent before being part of this study

The Psychological Performance Inventory (PPI) questionnaire was developed by James E. Loehr (1982) is a useful psychometric tool to measure individuals‘ mental toughness. PPI is a personal awareness version which focuses on the score range for seven broad personalities and behavioral factors that are associated with the success in competitive activity. The subjects responded to each statement using a Five-point Likert scale. Hence the minimum point of response in each system stands at 1 and a maximum pole at 5. This questionnaire measures various aspects of mental toughness in seven sub-factors. The 42-item scale yields an overall mental toughness score, as well as 7-item subscale scores: (a) self-confidence; (b) negative energy control;(c) attention control; (d) visualization and imagery control; (e) motivation level; (f) positive energy and (g) attitude control. The subjects are asked to indicate whether each reason was almost always, often, sometimes, seldom, and almost never. Scores are recorded on a Five point Likert scale. Sub-scale scores ranged from a low of 6 to a desirable high of 30 and total scores from 42 to 210.

Data was presented as quantitative data, descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation and comparative statistics such as one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to assess the result of the comparison among the different levels of football players and tested at 0.05 level of significance.

In this section, both descriptive and inferential statistics results are presented on ninety male football players of different age categories (U15, U17 and Senior) who participated in the survey.

Table 1, indicates the mean score of mental toughness of the different levels of football players. In the Sub -factor of Self-Confidence the mean and SD of Under-15, Under-17 and Senior Level was 23.33 + 2.35, 25.73 + 2.06 & 25.33 + 2.18 respectively. In Negative Energy Control the mean and SD of Under-15, Under-17 and Senior Level was 21.70 + 1.93, 17.76 + 1.59 & 18.60 + 2.55 respectively. In Attention Control the mean and SD of Under-15, Under-17 and Senior Level was 21.633 + 2.44, 19.33 + 2.67 & 17.23 + 2.80 respectively. In Visualization and Imagery the mean and SD of Under-15, Under-17 and Senior Level was 21.26 + 2.44, 19.93 + 2.67 & 24.73 + 2.39 respectively. In Motivation the mean and SD of Under-15, Under-17 and Senior Level was 27.53 + 2.31, 26.40 + 1.42 & 27.30 + 2.39 respectively. In Positive energy the mean and SD of Under-15, Under-17 and Senior Level was 25.63 + 2.57, 25.60 + 2.25 & 26.23 + 2.51 respectively. In Attitude Control the mean and SD of Under-15, Under-17 and Senior Level was 22.23 + 2.51, 24.10 + 2.15 & 25.63 + 2.83 respectively. The graphical representation of mean scores of the sub factors of mental toughness is in figure 1.

Table 2, revealed that the calculated F- value in the sub-factors Self- Confidence, Negative Energy Control, Attitude Control, Visualization and Imagery Control, Attitude Control was 10.509, 30.233, 21.128, 9.264, 13.733 respectively, which was found higher than the tabulated value 3.95 with df 2, 87 tested at significant level of 0.05. Therefore, since calculated F- value is more than the tabulated F-value, there was a significant difference found in the sub factors of mental toughness viz., self-confidence, negative energy control, attitude control, visualization and imagery control, attitude control among the levels or groups. the tabulated value 3.95 with df 2, 87 tested at a significant level of 0.05. Therefore, since calculated F- value was less than the tabulated F- value, there were no significant differences in the sub factors of motivation and positive energy among the levels or groups. Further pairwise comparison was done for the factors of mental toughness among the different groups of football players which revealed: Statistically significant result was found in self- confidence between under 16 and under 15 & under 15 and senior (MD= 2.43; p= 0.000 & MD= 2.03; p= 0.001) respectively. In negative energy control between under15 and under 16 & under 15 and senior (MD= 3.93; p= 0.000 & MD= 3.10; p= 0.000) significant result was found as was in attention control between 16 and senior (MD=2.70; p= 0.000). Significant result was found in visual and imagery under 16 and under 15 & under 15 and senior (MD= 2.76; p= 0.002 & MD= 3.46; p= 0.000) and in motivation between under 15 and under 16 (MD= 1.13; p= 0.002) respectively. In positive energy between under 15 and under 16 & under 15 and senior (MD= 1.86; p= 0.005 & MD= 3.40; p=0.000) and in attitude control between senior and under 15 & senior and under 16 (MD= 3.40; p= 0.000 & MD= 1.53; p= 0.002) significant difference was found when groups were compared with each other.

Investigating the existing possible differences in mental toughness among soccer players of teams of different age categories was the purpose of the study. The reason these categories were chosen was to verify if differences could be observed at this age when compared to senior players. Conducting this study has made nouvelle aspects in relation to age which is related to differences in mental toughness. Many previous studies have showed that on comparing the mental toughness of players there was a significant difference in mental toughness while in some studies there is no insignificant difference. This was mainly due to the behavioral and social aspects of the players. The results of the study showed that the senior level players had a significantly higher score on sub categories of mental- toughness that is visualization and imagery and attitude control. The U-15 had a significantly higher score on the negative energy control and attention control. Whereas, U-17 had a significantly higher score on self -confidence. Nevertheless, and despite scarce literature which considers age, there is sufficient evidence that indicates that older subjects show more mental toughness. The manner in which the level of performance has been considered varies, for instance, in some

or professional. In these cases, the contrast is substantial, which favors the detection of differences in different age category. The significant results obtained in this variable revealed the ability of the football players of all levels to push past exhaustion, opposition, and injury to score and to win. Players might typify the sort of mental toughness that makes them winners, but the same skills can apply to many areas of everyday life. The players were mentally tough to be able to succeed, and they knew they can do it. The result revealed mental toughness or willpower that can be thought of as a combination of intention, effort and courage.

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Assistant Professor, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, North East Regional Center, Guwahati, Assam, India saonsanyal@rediffmail.com