Psychometric Analysis of an Inventory Assessing Mental Toughness

This study involved the development and psychometric validation ofthe Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ). The MTQ is an 18-item questionnaire designed to evaluate an individual's competitive desire, focus, self-confidence, and resiliency. The responses of 117 varsity male and female athletes at a Division I-A university and Division II college were analyzed using a principal component factor analysis. The mean mental toughness score for males was significantly different from than the mean mental toughness score for females (M=2.07, SD=.54) and indicated that males self-reported being more mentally tough than females (t[115] = -3.29, p < .001). The mean mental toughness score for athletes in Division I-A (M=2.03, SD= .51) was significantly different from that for athletes in Division II (M=I.69, SD=.37) and indicated that the Division II athletes self-reported being more mentally tough than Division I-A athletes (t[115] = 3.28, p < .001). The mean mental toughness score on the Final MTQ was also significantly different between the eight different sports, F(7,116) = 2.87, p = .009. Post hoc analyses revealed that athletes in the sport of men's baseball self-reported being more mentally tough than athletes in the sport ofwomen's swimming