Mental toughness in higher education: Relationships with achievement and progression in first-year university sports students

• Significant and positive correlations were found between total mental toughness, grades, and progression.
• The mental toughness subscales of life control and interpersonal confidence were predictors of academic achievement.
• Higher levels of mental toughness, life control and interpersonal confidence were found in students that passed.
• MTQ48 may be a useful screening device to identify students at risk of underperforming in education.

Research into mental toughness has largely been confined to elite sport but should theoretically be important across other performance domains. We examined mental toughness in 161 first year sport students at a UK university using a self-report questionnaire (MTQ48). A measure of achievement (year grade) and progression (pass, fail, or re-sit) was also obtained for each participant. Significant and positive correlations were found between total mental toughness, grades, and progression. Results suggest that the MTQ48 may be a useful screening device to identify students at risk of failing and dropping out of their program. Interventions that target life control and interpersonal confidence would appear to be most salient.