THE COMPARISON OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS BETWEEN 2017 SEA GAMES ATHLETIC ATHLETES AND 2017 ASEAN PARA GAMES PARALYMPIC ATHLETIC ATHLETES

Abstract

In the context of deepening the mental toughness between athletic athletes, this study aims to identify 
the mental toughness of athletic athletes involved in 2017 SEA Games and 2017 ASEAN Para Games 
by comparing the mental toughness level between the normal and Paralympic athletic athletes. This is a 
descriptive study using purposive sampling method. The overall respondents for this study consist of 
50 athletic athletes, with 25 normal and 25 paralympic athletic athletes. Their ages are between 18 to 
43 years and they participate in 2017 SEA Games and 2017 ASEAN Para Games. Sports Mental 
Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ) developed by Sheard in 2009 has been adapted and used as the 
study instrument to measure the mental toughness level based on three sub scales namely confident, 
constancy and control. Study found out that the mental toughness for the 2017 SEA Games athletic 
athletes and 2017 ASEAN Para Games Paralympic athletic athletes are at high level. Mental toughness 
value reports are 41.32+5.67 and 43.00+6.88 respectively. However, there is no significant difference 
reported for the mental toughness between the groups with the value t(48)=-.942, p=.351. The question 
is does higher mental toughness level of 2017 ASEAN Para Games Paralympic athletic athletes’ acts as 
their success determinant in the previous 2016 Paralympic Games? This situation shall be explored 
deeper because in elite level a small difference from the mental toughness aspect is able to change a 
competition’s final result outcome.