本研究欲比較網球技術與心理素質與網球比賽勝率之關聯性，以及不同天分之男網選手的差異，並檢驗重大勝利能否影響選手之生涯。實證結果顯示，大多數的網球技術都和比賽勝率顯著地正相關，而有天分的選手於大多數網球技術之表現優於天分較差的選手。另外也發現選手得到ATP之賽事冠軍後，可以提升網球技術與心理素質；但在得到大滿貫(Grand Slam)賽事冠軍之後卻會退步。本研究結果亦顯示雖然攻擊、防守與心理素質對選手的比賽結果都有很大影響，但在贏得ATP級冠軍之前攻擊技術是影響比賽勝率最大的因素；而贏得大滿貫賽事冠軍之後防守技術則成為最重要的勝率影響因素。研究結果顯示獲得重大勝利之後確實會增加職業男網選手之信心。 / This study tries to examine the tennis skills and mental toughness associated with winning percentages, compare the performance difference between talent players and less talent players, and find out how a major win can affect players career. The empirical results suggest that most of the tennis skills and mental toughness are positively and significantly associated with winning percentage. Talent players have better performance than those less talent players in most of tennis skills. The study also finds that players can improve offensive and defensive skills and mental toughness through winning an ATP title, but get worse after winning a Grand Slam title. The research findings suggest that before winning an ATP title offensive skill is as important as defensive skill for a player to gain more winning percentage, however, after winning a Grand Slam title defensive skill is the most important skill to win more winning percentage, although defensive skill and mental toughness are still play an important role for winning more percentage. The research concludes that a major win does enhance a player’s confidence.

Fysisk aktivitet är en faktor för att uppnå en god hälsa för individen. Dock handlar inte allt om fysisk aktivitet, för att må bra och uppnå en god hälsa anses det vara gynnsamt att både kropp och psyke är i harmoni. Att öka sin mentala tuffhet genom mental färdighetsträning kan påverka människor positivt både inom den fysiska prestationen och i det vardagliga livet. Yrket som Personlig tränare (PT) handlar om välmående och att få människor att må bra i sin helhet. PT hjälper människor med den fysiska förmågan, denna studie avser att ta reda på hur PT arbetar med mental färdighetsträning. Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva om PT tillämpar mental färdighetsträning och hur de skapar förutsättningar för att hjälpa sina adepter att uppnå mental tuffhet. Metoden var utav kvalitativ ansats då en öppen enkät låg till grund för studien. Urvalet bestod utav 16 yrkessamma PT. I studien framkom det att de PT som deltagit i studien skapar förutsättningar att uppnå mental tuffhet till sina adepter, detta genom tillämpning av mental färdighetsträning. Deltagarna upplever att mental färdighetsträning har positiva effekter på sina adepter, genom att adepterna upplever kontakt i sina muskler, reducerad stressnivå, ökad motivation och ökad självkänsla. / Physical activity is a factor to achieve good health. Although to achieve good health it is considered favorable to achieve harmony between mind and body. Mental skills training can improve performance in physical training as well as the daily life. Mental skills training is a tool to increase mental toughness. Personal training (PT) as a profession is about helping people feel good as a whole. PT usually help people with different kinds of physical activity, but it’s also interesting to look at how they work with mental skills training. The purpose of this study was to describe how PT apply mental skills training and how they provide conditions for their adepts to achieve mental toughness. The method used in this study was of a qualitative approach. An open questionnaire was the basis of the study which consisted of 16 participants. The study found that the PT are trying to provide the conditions for their adept at achieving mental toughness through mental skills training. The participants experience that mental skills training has a positive effect on their adepts, since the adepts experience contact in their muscles, reduced stress levels, increased motivation and increased their self-esteem.

The purpose of this study was to: (a) examine if the relation between motivation and exercise is moderated by exercise specific self-efficacy (b) examine if the relation between motivation and exercise is moderated by mental toughness. The data collection was via a non-random convenience sample and snowball sample. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional design with 51 participants (24 men and 27 women), where the participants were between the ages 18-30 (M=23.8, SD=3.2). The results showed that exercise specific self-efficacy had a positive statistical significant correlation with self-determined exercise motivation (r = .63, p<.01) and total exercise amount (r = .47, p<.01). The result also showed that mental toughness had a positive statistical significant correlation with self-determined exercise motivation (r = .33, p<.05) and total exercise amount (r = .37, p<.01). However, the results showed no statistically significant moderating effect of exercise specific self-efficacy respectively mental toughness on the relationship between exercise motivation and amount of exercise. It is proposed that broader and more developing studies are needed within the subject and to investigate more potential underlying factors that could affect the relationship between exercise motivation and amount of exercise. The information in the following study can result in more people being able to sustain their exercise behaviour and that more people succeed with their exercise goals. / Syftet med studien var att: (a) undersöka om self-efficacy modererar sambandet mellan motionsmängd och självbestämmande motionsmotivation samt (b) undersöka mental tuffhet modererar sambandet mellan motionsmängd och självbestämmande motionsmotivation. Insamlingen av data skedde via ett icke slumpmässigt bekvämlighetsurval och snöbollsurval. Studien var en kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie med 51st deltagare (24 män och 27 kvinnor), där deltagarna var mellan åldrarna 18-30 år (M=23,8, SD=3.2). Resultatet visade att motionsspecifik self-efficacy hade ett positivt statistiskt signifikant samband med självbestämmande motionsmotivation (r = .63, p<.01) och motionsmängd (r = .47, p<.01). Resultatet visade även att mental tuffhet hade ett positivt statistiskt samband med självbestämmande motionsmotivation (r = .33, p<.05) och motionsmängd (r = .37, p<.05). Däremot visade resultatet ingen statistiskt signifikant modererande effekt av motionsspecifik self-efficacy respektive mental tuffhet på sambandet mellan motionsmotivation och motionsmängd. Resultatet belyser vikten av att undersöka psykologiska faktorer som bidrar till utvecklingen av självbestämmande motionsmotivation och ökad motionsmängd. Det föreslås bredare och mer utvecklande studier kring området, samt att undersöka fler potentiella bakomliggande faktorer som kan påverka sambandet mellan motionsmotivation och motionsmängd. Detta kan medföra att fler människor lyckas bibehålla sitt träningsbeteende samt att fler människor lyckas nå sina motionsmål.

Syfte och frågeställningar: Denna studie har granskat begreppet mental tuffhet och dess roll i sporten baseboll. Syftet var att, genom en kvantitativ och kvalitativ metod, undersöka hur fyra unga svenska pitchers reflekterar över de egenskaper, färdigheter och verktyg associerade till mental tuffhet för att skapa en ökad förståelse i unga pitchers mentala förmåga. Detta genomförs som den första svenska idrottspsykologiska studien i sitt slag. Hur upplever unga basebollspelare olika aspekter av de innefattande egenskaper och färdigheter som omfattar mental tuffhet? Besitter unga basebollspelare som håller en jämn prestationsnivå under match även en högre grad av mental tuffhet? Metod: Studien består av en kvalitativ och kvantitativ metod där ett urval av fyra pitchers först statistiskt har observerats under match för att sen intervjuas med en semistrukturerad intervjumetod. Statistikinsamling genomfördes med syftet att kvantitativt granska deras prestation under match sett till lyckade och misslyckade kast. Efter varje match har testpersonerna intervjuats med utgångspunkt från matchens statistik samt fyra idrottspsykologiska teman; självförtroende, motivation, idrottspsykologiska verktyg och målsättning. Denna metodtriangulering har använts för att granska hur de hanterar mentalt tuffa situationer i match. Resultat: Ett antal faktorer framkom i studiens analys som relaterade till mental tuffhet: fysiska och mentala förberedelser, den fysiska förmågan, fokusering/refokusering, viljan att bli bättre samt att hantera motgång. Även ett antal påverkande faktorer framkom: utbildning, lagkamrater/omgivning, yttre krav och externa distraktioner. Slutsats: Generellt framkom mental tuffhet som ett brett och komplext begrepp kopplat till många olika idrottspsykologiska faktorer. Kopplingar mellan self-efficacy och mental tuffhet har gjorts då testpersonerna beskrev prestationsbaserade självförtroende i sin tro på sin egen fysiska och tekniska förmåga, samt motivation i sin fysiska utveckling. Det framkom även att resultatets påverkande faktorer spelade en stor roll i hur de senare kände mental tuffhet i match. Nyckelord: Baseboll, pitchers, mental tuffhet, self-efficacy, självförtroende, motivation, visualisering, självprat, målsättning

Syfte och frågeställningar: Syftet i den här studien har varit att undersöka hur fysiologiska och upplevelsebaserade variabler skiljer sig vid känd, okänd och oväntad arbetstid samt i förhållande till mentala färdigheter. För att uppnå syftet undersöktes följande frågor. Hur påverkas fysiologiska och upplevelsebaserade variabler vid känd, okänd och oväntad arbetstid? Vilket samband finns det mellan mentala färdigheter och de fysiologiska respektive upplevelsebaserade variablerna? Metod: Avsikten är att upprepa tidigare studier men med nya parametrar. Testpersonerna var uthållighetstränade (57,1 ml/kg/min ±3,7SD) män med en medelålder på 37 år (±3,8SD). Vid tre olika testtillfällen utförde testpersonerna (n=7) tre olika test. Vid alla testtillfällen sprang testpersonerna på löpband i 20 minuter med en hastighet som motsvarade 80 % av maximalt syreupptag. Vid test A fick testpersonerna veta att de skulle springa i 20 minuter. Vid test B fick testpersonerna veta att de skulle springa i 10 minuter, men i den tionde minuten fick testpersonerna veta att de skulle springa ytterligare10 minuter. Vid test C fick testpersonerna ingen information om hur lång tid de skulle springa, men i den tjugonde minuten fick testpersonerna veta att testet avslutades efter totalt 20 minuter. Resultat: Inga signifikanta skillnader i de fysiologiska variablerna mellan test A, B och C har kunnat fastställdes. Det finns dock en tendens att syreupptaget var lägre i test B än test A och C (p<0,10). Testresultaten visar att syreupptaget sjönk mellan minut 19 och 20 i test C. De upplevelsebaserade variablerna visade inte heller på signifikanta skillnader mellan olika tester, men uppskattad ansträngning verkade vara lägre i intervallet minut 14-19 i test B jämfört med test A och C, samt att syreupptaget också här sjönk för test C mellan minut 19 och 20. Sambanden mellan de fysiologiska samt upplevelsebaserade variablerna och de mentala färdigheterna resulterade i ett signifikant lägre syreupptag (p<0,05) i test B i förhållande till test C. Vid hög self-efficacy och högt mental toughness poäng, samt ett mer stabilt känslomässigt förlopp vid hög poäng på cognitive reappraisal. Testpersonernas användning av self-talk verkade vara test specifik då mängden positivt self-talk ökade från test A till B till C oavsett viken ordning testerna utfördes. Slutsats: Studien visar motstridiga resultat jämfört med tidigare refererade studier. Det finns ett samband mellan de fysiologiska och upplevelsebaserade variablerna, typ av test och mentala färdigheter. Sambandet är dock otydligt och bör undersökas noggrannare.

This collection of works involved examinations of two phenomena that currently impact music education in the United States and constitute challenges for both pre-service and in-service music educators. Article one is an exploration of college aged musicians, their experiences with critical commentary and stressful scenarios encountered in and through applied music studies, and the role that mental toughness might play in these experiences. This study examined the perceptions of college level studio teachers and their students. Results of the study indicated that significant differences in mental toughness scores existed between the studio teacher group and the students (as a whole) and between the studio teacher group and 5 of the 6 student groups. Significant negative correlations were found between students’ mental toughness scores and answers to three questions related to teacher criticism, student anxiety in lessons, and students’ frequency of hurt feelings following feedback about their performing. Article 2 examined the perceptions of in-service music educators regarding aspects of education law. Participants included music educators (N = 152; Mage = 41.7) from each of the 50 states whose teaching assignments occur primarily at the high school (grades 9 – 12) levels. Results indicated that these participants viewed their undergraduate teacher training programs, and graduate studies, as having included very low levels of legal content. Few of the participants indicated receiving additional education and training from a legal specialist, and taking part in sessions on legal topics offered by their school districts and professional associations. The legal issues receiving the greatest numbers of selections as having been experienced by the participants included 5 aspects of copyright law, religious music/lyrics in educational and performance material, and protection of student health (i.e., medical) information. The total number of legal issues selected was significantly correlated with the number of traveling groups (ensembles) with which the teachers were associated. Teachers of marching band indicated a greater number of total legal issues having been dealt with in their professional experience. And teachers of orchestra demonstrated fewer total numbers of legal issues experienced. In spite of the significant correlations, total expressions of relevant legal issues were largely unassociated with teachers of specific ensemble types.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a psycho-educational intervention program could support traumatised people to increase their mental toughness. Mental toughness is a well proven phenomenon in sports psychology as well as in leadership in the corporate world. I wanted to apply the use of mental toughness in trauma. Literature was consulted to understand the phenomena of mental toughness and trauma respectively. The corresponding aspects of mental toughness and trauma were selected for the literature review and many similarities between mental toughness and trauma were discovered. The corresponding aspects included action taking, the importance of the “self”, facing negativity and adversity, the importance of support systems, flexibility and adjustment, dealing with guilt and self-blame, the role of self-talk, people’s perceptions, goal-setting, commitment, helplessness / learned helplessness and dealing with stress. I used the corresponding aspects to compile a psycho-educational intervention programme to support traumatised persons to develop increased mental toughness that will support them to better deal with trauma. A valid and reliable psychometric instrument, the MTQ48 (Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48), has been successfully used to determine people’s mental toughness in sports psychology and in corporate management, but has never been tested before in supporting traumatised people. An action research design was employed, where both qualitative as well as quantitative methods were used. This is also known as a mixed research design. Eight traumatised people took part in the research which was presented weekly, as individual sessions, over eight weeks. Data collection methods included questionnaires, observation and individual therapy. The results of the study indicated that seven of the eight participants’ overall mental toughness increased after the intervention program, and four of the eight participants’ mental toughness components increased. As an additional benefit, all respondents indicated that they could better deal and cope with their trauma after the intervention program. The conclusion could be drawn that the psycho-educational intervention program was successful in supporting the traumatised participants to increase their mental toughness. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

L’objectif de cette étude était d’obtenir une meilleure compréhension du concept de force mentale appliqué dans un contexte sportif. Pour se faire, des entrevues ont été réalisées avec dix athlètes québécois francophones de niveau universitaire. L’analyse des données s’est effectuée en suivant les principes de la version abrégée de la théorisation ancrée. Les résultats appuient globalement la littérature scientifique. En somme, la force mentale serait composée de caractéristiques de base interreliées, telles que la motivation internalisée, la confiance en soi, la maturité et la détermination. La force mentale serait sollicitée non seulement lorsque l’athlète fait face à des situations difficiles comme l’adversité, mais également lorsque le contexte dans lequel il évolue est exempt de complications (à l’entraînement ou lors de victoire). Les résultats des entrevues indiquent que face à ces deux types de situation, les athlètes forts mentalement possèderaient un mode réactionnel tridimensionnel (dimension cognitive, affective et comportementale) se caractérisant par la gestion et le contrôle de l’attention, l’interprétation optimiste des situations, le contrôle de l’activation et du langage corporel, la gestion des émotions et la résilience. Contrairement à la littérature, les résultats suggèrent que la force mentale ne serait pas nécessairement liée aux athlètes performants au plus haut niveau de leur sport, mais à la capacité des athlètes à donner de bonnes performances en fonction de leur potentiel individuel. Cette étude constitue le premier pas vers le développement d’un instrument de mesure permettant d’évaluer le niveau de force mentale chez les athlètes francophones. / The objective of the study was to obtain a clearer understanding of the concept of mental toughness as applied to a sport context. To do so, interviews were conducted with ten university-level Francophone Quebec athletes. The data analysis was conducted by following the principles of the abridged grounded theory. The results are in general agreement with the scientific literature as mental toughness was made up of interrelated basic characteristics such as internalized motivation, self-confidence, maturity and determination. Mental toughness was solicited when the athlete faced difficult situations such as adversity, but also when the context the athletes faced was free from complications (e.g. during training or victory). In the two classes of situations, adversity and freedom from adversity, mentally tough athletes exhibited a tridimensional reaction mode (cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions) characterized by a management and control of attention, optimistic interpretation, activation control and body language control, consciousness, management of emotions and resilience. Contrary to the existing literature, the results suggest that mental toughness would not necessarily be linked to athletes performing at the top of their game; it would instead be connected to the capacity of athletes to produce good performances relative to their individual potential. This study can be viewed as a first step in the development of an instrument that would permit the evaluation of the level of mental toughness in Francophone athletes.

Psychological factors specific to overuse injury pain in physical activity contexts were explored within a social identity theoretical framework. Study 1 involved development of a method for designating overuse injury pain occurrence of hikers (N = 751), along with exploration of relationships between psychological measures, overuse injury pain occurrence, and effort levels. The findings of this cross-sectional, mixed-methods investigation revealed that social identification, social identity content, and mental toughness differentiated hikers who incurred overuse injury pain or selected a higher-effort behaviour from those who did not. From qualitative analysis, several social identity constructs (i.e., group member's presence, in-group status, social creativity, additional social identity content) emerged as contributors to overuse injury occurrence. The focus of Study 2 was a prospective examination of the aforementioned psychological factors in relation to overuse injury severity of hikers (N = 283). Additionally, the Test of Intentions to Reduce Effort (TIRE) was developed to identify individuals with susceptibility to higher overuse injury severity. Results provided evidence of factorial, construct, and predictive validity of TIRE factor scores. TIRE factors and social identity content significantly predicted higher severity of hikers' overuse injury pain. Mental toughness scores moderated the relationship between social identification and overuse injury severity. Study 3 consisted of a qualitative examination of social identity mechanisms of overuse injury pain in a physical activity context, CrossFit®, involving the presence of group leaders, and in which group members view each other. Findings revealed mechanisms pertaining to social identity content, in-group status, and social threats. Overall, the findings support a new means for assessing overuse injury occurrence and susceptibility to higher overuse injury severity, whilst demonstrating the potential applicability of social identity theory to the study of overuse injury. Knowledge gained may ultimately aid development of interventions to reduce overuse injury occurrence and severity of physical activity participants.

L’objectif de cette étude était d’obtenir une meilleure compréhension du concept de force mentale appliqué dans un contexte sportif. Pour se faire, des entrevues ont été réalisées avec dix athlètes québécois francophones de niveau universitaire. L’analyse des données s’est effectuée en suivant les principes de la version abrégée de la théorisation ancrée. Les résultats appuient globalement la littérature scientifique. En somme, la force mentale serait composée de caractéristiques de base interreliées, telles que la motivation internalisée, la confiance en soi, la maturité et la détermination. La force mentale serait sollicitée non seulement lorsque l’athlète fait face à des situations difficiles comme l’adversité, mais également lorsque le contexte dans lequel il évolue est exempt de complications (à l’entraînement ou lors de victoire). Les résultats des entrevues indiquent que face à ces deux types de situation, les athlètes forts mentalement possèderaient un mode réactionnel tridimensionnel (dimension cognitive, affective et comportementale) se caractérisant par la gestion et le contrôle de l’attention, l’interprétation optimiste des situations, le contrôle de l’activation et du langage corporel, la gestion des émotions et la résilience. Contrairement à la littérature, les résultats suggèrent que la force mentale ne serait pas nécessairement liée aux athlètes performants au plus haut niveau de leur sport, mais à la capacité des athlètes à donner de bonnes performances en fonction de leur potentiel individuel. Cette étude constitue le premier pas vers le développement d’un instrument de mesure permettant d’évaluer le niveau de force mentale chez les athlètes francophones. / The objective of the study was to obtain a clearer understanding of the concept of mental toughness as applied to a sport context. To do so, interviews were conducted with ten university-level Francophone Quebec athletes. The data analysis was conducted by following the principles of the abridged grounded theory. The results are in general agreement with the scientific literature as mental toughness was made up of interrelated basic characteristics such as internalized motivation, self-confidence, maturity and determination. Mental toughness was solicited when the athlete faced difficult situations such as adversity, but also when the context the athletes faced was free from complications (e.g. during training or victory). In the two classes of situations, adversity and freedom from adversity, mentally tough athletes exhibited a tridimensional reaction mode (cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions) characterized by a management and control of attention, optimistic interpretation, activation control and body language control, consciousness, management of emotions and resilience. Contrary to the existing literature, the results suggest that mental toughness would not necessarily be linked to athletes performing at the top of their game; it would instead be connected to the capacity of athletes to produce good performances relative to their individual potential. This study can be viewed as a first step in the development of an instrument that would permit the evaluation of the level of mental toughness in Francophone athletes.