Mediator Role of Perceived Stress in the Relationship between Positive/Negative Emotions and Mental Toughness

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to identify the mediator function performed by perceived stress level in the relationship between positive and negative emotions and mental toughness. 383 athletes voluntarily participated in the research, 252 (65.7%) male and 131 (34.2%) female. The athletes’ ages are between 15 and 55 (19.41±5.57). As part of the convenience sampling approach, data were collected from 40 of Turkey’s 81 provinces online (using a web-based Google form). The questionnaire consists of two parts. In the first part, there are questions about the demographic characteristics of the athletes. In the second part, some questions measure perceived stress, positive/ negative emotions, and mental toughness information in sports. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to understand whether the scales were suitable for the sample group and to increase the reliability of the mediator model. In the study, the effect of negative and positive emotions on mental toughness was tested with Simple Linear Regression Analysis. The mediating function of perceived stress in the relationship between positive and negative emotions and mental toughness was evaluated using the SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 4; Hayes, 2018). The direct effect of negative emotions on mental toughness was statistically significant (β=-0.2629; p<0.05). In addition, the direct effect of positive emotions on mental toughness was statistically significant (β=0.3720; p<0.05). Increased negative emotions in athletes were associated with increased perceived stress, predicting lower mental toughness. Once again, increased positive emotions in athletes were associated with a partial effect with reduced perceived stress, predicting relatively higher mental toughness.

Keywords

• Mental toughness
• Negative emotions
• Perceived stress
• Positive emotions.

Pozitif/Negatif Duygular-Zihinsel Dayanıklılık İlişkisinde Algılanan Stresin Aracı Rolü

Öz

Bu araştırmanın temel amacı; pozitif-negatif duyguların zihinsel dayanıklılığa etkisi ve bu etkide algılanan stres düzeyinin aracı (mediatör) rolünü belirlemektir. Araştırmaya gönüllü olarak 252’si (%65.8) erkek, 131’i (%34.2) kadın olmak üzere 383 sporcu katılmıştır. Sporcuların yaşları 15 ile 55 (19.41±5.57) arasında değişmektedir. Araştırma elde edilen veriler kolayda örnekleme yöntemi kapsamında Türkiye’deki 81 ilin 40’ından online olarak (web tabanlı Google form) elde edilmiştir. Anket, iki kısımdan oluşmaktadır. İlk kısımda; sporcuların demografik bilgilerini içeren sorular yer alırken ikinci kısımda; pozitif/negatif duygular, algılanan stres ve sporda zihinsel dayanıklılığı içeren sorular yer almaktadır. Ölçeklerin örneklem grubu için uygun olup olmadığını anlamak ve aracı model içerisindeki güvenirliliği arttırmak amacı ile doğrulayıcı faktör analizinden faydalanılmıştır. Çalışmada, negatif ve pozitif duyguların zihinsel dayanıklılık üzerindeki etkisi Basit Doğrusal Regresyon Analizi ile test edilmiştir. Pozitif ve negatif duygular ile zihinsel dayanıklılık arasındaki ilişkide algılanan stresin aracılığını test etmek için SPSS PROCESS makrosu (Model 4, Hayes, 2018) kullanılmıştır. Negatif duyguların zihinsel dayanıklılık üzerindeki direkt etkisi istatistiksel olarak anlamlıdır (β=-0.2629; p<0.05). Ayrıca, pozitif duyguların zihinsel dayanıklılık üzerindeki direkt etkisi istatistiksel olarak anlamlıdır (β=0.3720; p<0.05). Sporcularda artan negatif duygular, artan algılanan stres ile ilişkilendirildi ve bu düşük zihinsel dayanıklılığı öngördü. Yine, sporcularda artan pozitif duygular, azalan algılanan stres ile kısmı bir etkiyle ilişkilendirildi ve bu durum nispeten daha yüksek zihinsel dayanıklılığı öngördü.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Algılanan stres
• Negatif duygular
• Pozitif duygular
• Zihinsel dayanıklılık.

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