1st Edition

Mental Toughness in Sport Developments in Theory and Research

Edited By Daniel Gucciardi, Sandy Gordon Copyright 2011
    272 Pages
    by Routledge

    272 Pages
    by Routledge

    The pursuit of excellence in sport depends on four key facets of performance, namely physical, technical, tactical and mental skills. However, when physical, technical and tactical skills are evenly matched, a common occurrence at elite level, it is the performer with greater levels of mental toughness that seems to prevail most often.

    This book brings together the world’s leading researchers and practitioners working on mental toughness to discuss this vital ingredient of performance excellence in sport, to survey the latest research and to present cutting-edge developments in theory and professional practice. It explores key conceptual, methodological and practical issues including:

    • what mental toughness is and is not
    • how to measure mental toughness in sport
    • how to develop mental toughness in sport
    • mental toughness in other human performance settings, from business to coping and life skills.

    Also highlighting important avenues for future research, Mental Toughness in Sport is essential reading for all advanced students, researchers and practitioners with an interest in sport psychology or performance sport.

    Introduction  Chapter 1. Introduction to mental toughness in sport (Sandy Gordon and Daniel F. Gucciardi)  Section 1 Understanding Mental Toughness  Chapter 2. Mental toughness – A phenomenological perspective (Tom Fawcett)  Chapter 3. Mental toughness and coping in sport (Adam R. Nicholls)  Chapter 4. A social-cognitive framework for understanding and developing mental toughness in sport (Robert J. Harmison)  Chapter 5. Who’s mental, who’s tough, and who’s both? Mutton constructs dressed up as lamb (Mark B. Andersen)  Section 2  Measuring Mental Toughness  Chapter 6. Development and validation of the Mental Toughness Inventory (MTI): A construct validation approach (S. Cory Middleton, Andrew J. Martin, and Herb W. Marsh)  Chapter 7. Measuring mental toughness in sport: Current status and future directions (Daniel F. Gucciardi, Clifford J. Mallett, Stephanie J. Hanrahan, and Sandy Gordon) Section 3 Developing Mental Toughness  Chapter 8. Mental toughness development: Issues, practical implications, and future directions (Declan Connaughton, Richard Thelwell, and Sheldon Hanton)  Chapter 9. Mental toughness as a life skill (Dan Gould, Katherine Griffes, and Sarah Carson)  Chapter 10. Understanding and developing the will to win: Perceptions of parents, coaches, and athletes (Clifford J. Mallett and Tristan J. Coulter)  Chapter 11. Building mental toughness (Robert Weinberg and Joanne Butt)  Conclusion  Chapter 12. Mental toughness in sport: Past, present, and future (Daniel F. Gucciardi and Sandy Gordon)

    Biography

    Daniel F. Gucciardi is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, Australia.

    Sandy Gordon is a Professor in the School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, The University of Western Australia, Australia.