Rethinking Mental Toughness: Evidence from Team and Individual Athletes in Indonesia
Abstract
This study aimed to examine and compare the levels of mental toughness (MT) of Indonesian athletes in team and individual sports and to explore its relationship with age of the athletes. A cross-sectional comparative design was employed. The study population consisted of athletes participating in the Porprov 2025 multi-sport event. A sample of 122 athletes (M~age~ = 18.76, SD = 2.12) was selected through convenience sampling, comprising participants from team sports (futsal, rugby; n=57) and individual sports (fencing, judo, jujitsu, pétanque; n=65). The research instrument was a culturally adapted 20-item Mental Toughness questionnaire measuring confidence, discipline, focus, resilience, and teamwork on a 4-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Welch's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Pearson correlation. The findings revealed a moderate level of overall MT (M = 2.91/4). There was no significant difference in MT between team and individual sports (Welch's t = 0.723, p = 0.471; Cohen's d = 0.13) and no significant correlation with age (r = -0.009, p = 0.940). Key strengths were identified in discipline and persistence, whereas weaknesses were found in post-error recovery, role clarity under pressure, and fatigue management. The adapted scale demonstrated modest reliability (α = 0.546). The development of MT in this context appears to depend more on specific micro-skills than on the sport type or age, underscoring the importance of targeted skill-focused interventions in Indonesian athletic development.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/tegar.v8i2.91355
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