Dissertation (MScSportSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the components of mental toughness as reported in the sport psychology
literature and by coaches and athletes. A questionnaire devised for this purpose by the researcher,
was completed by 131 expert coaches from 30 different sport disciplines and by 160 elite level
athletes from 31 different sport disciplines. The information gathered from the literature, as well
as from the coaches' and athletes' written statements, was analysed by means of an inductive
content analysis. Content analysis organises the data into increasingly more complex themes and
categories representing the components of mental toughness. From the literature analysis, eight
components of mental toughness were identified, these being: motivation level, arousal control,
confidence maintenance, cognitive skill, competitive behaviour, planning skills, emotional
readiness and team cohesion. The analysis of the statements provided by the coaches and athletes
resulted in the identification of 12 components of mental toughness. These are, in descending
order: motivation level, coping skills, confidence maintenance, cognitive skill, discipline and
goal-directedness, competitiveness, possession of prerequisite physical and mental requirements,
team unity, preparation skills, psychological hardiness, religious convictions and ethics. In
addition the coaches and athletes rated their mentioned characteristics. The coaches regarded
concentration as the most important characteristic while the athletes regarded perseverance as
most important. The coaches rated a coach and a sport psychologist respectively, to be
significantly more effective (p<0.05) in strengthening the characteristics of mental toughness than
athletes did. It is concluded that a definition of mental toughness should include the following
components: motivation level, coping skills (including arousal control strategies), confidence
maintenance (including discipline and goal directedness), cognitive skill, competitive behaviour
(including competitiveness and possession of the prerequisite physical and mental requirements),
planning and preparation skills, psychological hardiness (including emotional readiness) and,
finally, religious convictions and ethics. In team sports the definition of mental toughness
contains an extra component, namely team cohesion and unity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het die komponente van sielkundige taaiheid ondersoek soos dit in die sportsielkunde
literatuur en deur afrigters en atlete vertolk word. 'n Vraelys, wat deur die navorser vir
hierdie doelontwerp is, is deur 131 kundige afrigters vanuit 30 verskillende sportdissiplines en
deur 160 elite atlete vanuit 31 verskillende sportdissiplines, voltooi. Die inligting ingesamel
vanuit die literatuur, asook die stellings gemaak deur die afrigters en atlete, is deur middel van 'n
induktiewe inhoudsanalisemetode geanaliseer. Inhoudsanalise organiseer data in toenemende
komplekse temas en kategorieë wat die komponente van sielkundige taaiheid voorstel. Vanuit die
analise van die literatuur het die volgende agt komponente van sielkundige taaiheid na vore
gekom: motiveringsvlak, beheer van opwekking, handhawing van selfvertroue, kognitiewe
vaardigheid, kompeterende gedrag, beplanningsvaardighede, emosionele gereedheid en spankohesie.
Die analise van die afrigters en atlete se stellings het tot gevolg gehad dat 12
komponente van sielkundige taaiheid geïdentifiseer is. Hulle is, in dalende volgorde: motiveringsvlak,
hanteringsvaardighede, handhawing van selfvertroue, kognitiewe vaardigheid, dissipline en
doelgerigtheid, mededingendheid, beskikking oor die nodige liggaamlike en sielkundige vereistes,
eenheid van die span, voorbereidingsvaardighede, sielkundige gehardheid, godsdienstige
oortuigings en etiese waardes. Bykomend het die afrigters en die atlete die belangrikheid van hul
stellings beoordeel. Konsentrasie is deur die afrigters as die belangrikste geoordeel terwyl
deursettingsvermoë deur die atlete verkies is. Die afrigters het bepaal dat 'n afrigter en
sportsielkundige beduidend meer (p<0.05) die eienskappe van sielkundige taaiheid kan versterk,
as wat die geval met die atlete was. Die gevolgtrekking is dat 'n definisie van sielkundige
taaiheid, die volgende komponente moet bevat: motiveringsvlak, hanteringsvaardighede (sluit
opwekkingsbeheer in), handhawing van selfvertroue (sluit dissipline en doelgerigtheid in),
kognitiewe vaardigheid, kompeterende gedrag (sluit mededingendheid en beskikking oor die
nodige fisieke en sielkundige vereistes in), beplanning- en voorbereidingsvaardighede,
sielkundige gehardheid sluit emosionele gereedheid in) en, laastens, godsdienstige oortuigings en
etiese waardes. Spansportsoorte se definisie van sielkundige taaiheid sluit 'n ekstra komponent,
spankohesie en -eenheid in.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51611 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Fourie, Sansonette |
| Contributors | Potgieter, J.R., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Sport Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 142 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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