Mentally tough behaviour in athletic populations: a scoping review

James D. Clark; Tristan J. Coulter; Florin Oprescu; Daniel Van Den Hoek

doi:10.1080/1750984X.2026.2716881

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Mentally tough behaviour in athletic populations: a scoping review

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Mentally tough behaviour in athletic populations: a scoping review

James D. Clark, Tristan J. Coulter, Florin Oprescu and Daniel Van Den Hoek

International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Vol.Advanced access

24-Aug-2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2026.2716881

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Abstract

Mental toughness

behaviour

sport

athletic populations

performance

Background Mental toughness (MT) is a psychological attribute that has been associated with superior performance in a sporting domain. Existing research on the topic has explored the link between MT and other psychological attributes conducive to success in sport. However, less research attention has been directed toward identifying behaviours and behavioural outcomes associated with varying levels of MT. Objective The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the available MT quantitative literature and identify observable behaviours and behavioural outcomes associated with MT. Methods Four databases (APA PsycNet, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched with 417 initial records identified. Twenty-two sources of evidence met the inclusion criteria for the current review. Results Themes were developed relating to the outcomes associated with psychometrically assessed MT levels. Two overarching themes were developed: observable outcomes and regulatory behaviour, with corresponding sub-themes. Conclusions Given the variety of MT measures and conceptualisations used in the body of research, it was difficult to draw consistent findings between MT and observable behaviours. Much research in the MT behaviour space is directed towards outcomes compared with competitive behaviours which may facilitate these. Future research is needed to dive deeper into behaviours associated with MT.

Details

Title: Mentally tough behaviour in athletic populations: a scoping review
Authors: James D. Clark (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
Tristan J. Coulter - Queensland University of Technology
Florin Oprescu - University of the Sunshine Coast
Daniel Van Den Hoek - University of the Sunshine Coast
Publication details: International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Vol.Advanced access
Publisher: Routledge
DOI: 10.1080/1750984X.2026.2716881
ISSN: 1750-9858
Copyright note: © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
Data Availability: Included data has been extracted from published research articles. The data extraction sheet that supports the findings of this study is available from the corresponding author, JC, upon reasonable request.
Organisation Unit: Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; Engage Research Lab; School of Health - Psychology; School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science; School of Health - Public Health
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991255388202621
Output Type: Journal article

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