Identifying the Behavioural and Psychophysiological Indicators of Mentally Tough Athletes
type: CreativeWork
description: The current thesis re-investigated the complex link between revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (rRST) and mentally tough behaviour and tested whether rRST could be extended to predict mentally tough athletes psychophysiological responses. The objectives of this thesis were to address two issues in Hardy, Bell, and Beattie’s (2014) study, assess whether rRST could predict the psychophysiological responses and performance of mentally tough athletes, and test the utility of two competing cardiac models to map these responses. Study 1 addressed the issue of the measurement of rRST in Hardy et al.’s study by examining the factorial validity of the six-factor Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ). Utilising a technically complex, alternative statistical approach in Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM), analyses supported the RST-PQ’s six-factor structure in two separate samples of student athletes. Study 2 addressed the issue of the statistical procedures used to validate the single-factor 15-item Cricket Mental Toughness Inventory (CMTI) in Hardy and colleague’s study, and re-examined their results using this measure and the RST-PQ. Results offered further for BSEM with the 15-item CMTI measurement model demonstrating a strong model-fit in a sample of male elite and sub-elite cricket coaches. Multilevel analyses also revealed unique insights into the personality of male elite and sub-elite cricketers where the mentally toughest performers elicited high avoidance motivation levels and increased approach motivation levels. Study 3 tested the hypothesis that rRST could predict mentally tough athletes psychophysiological responses and performance with an ambitious experiment in a real-world sporting context. In addition, study 3 took a novel approach to depict these responses, by examining the effectiveness of the Cardiac Autonomic Balance and Cardiac Autonomic Regulation (CAB/CAR) models. Hierarchical regression analyses showed t…
abstract: The current thesis re-investigated the complex link between revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (rRST) and mentally tough behaviour and tested whether rRST could be extended to predict mentally tough athletes psychophysiological responses. The objectives of this thesis were to address two issues in Hardy, Bell, and Beattie’s (2014) study, assess whether rRST could predict the psychophysiological responses and performance of mentally tough athletes, and test the utility of two competing cardiac models to map these responses. Study 1 addressed the issue of the measurement of rRST in Hardy et al.’s study by examining the factorial validity of the six-factor Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ). Utilising a technically complex, alternative statistical approach in Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM), analyses supported the RST-PQ’s six-factor structure in two separate samples of student athletes. Study 2 addressed the issue of the statistical procedures used to validate the single-factor 15-item Cricket Mental Toughness Inventory (CMTI) in Hardy and colleague’s study, and re-examined their results using this measure and the RST-PQ. Results offered further for BSEM with the 15-item CMTI measurement model demonstrating a strong model-fit in a sample of male elite and sub-elite cricket coaches. Multilevel analyses also revealed unique insights into the personality of male elite and sub-elite cricketers where the mentally toughest performers elicited high avoidance motivation levels and increased approach motivation levels. Study 3 tested the hypothesis that rRST could predict mentally tough athletes psychophysiological responses and performance with an ambitious experiment in a real-world sporting context. In addition, study 3 took a novel approach to depict these responses, by examining the effectiveness of the Cardiac Autonomic Balance and Cardiac Autonomic Regulation (CAB/CAR) models. Hierarchical regression analyses showed t…
author: Young , Tom
language: eng
date published: 2022
date modified: 2026-07-24T04:39:51Z
provider: University of South Wales
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of South Wales