Relating trait and domain mental toughness to complex task learning

Mental toughness is considered by many in the popular media and in sports psychology to be an important construct underlying success in learning and performance. However, despite a long conceptual history, little work has empirically examined the relationships between mental toughness and key learning and performance outcomes. Thus, the purpose of this laboratory study was to examine the incremental predictive validity of trait-based and domain mental toughness scores in the context of learning a complex computer task using a variety of cognitive, affective, and skill-based criteria, including a test of adaptive performance. Results revealed no relationships between trait-based mental toughness and any learning criteria. In contrast, scores from a multidimensional domain mental toughness scale explained variance in post-practice self-efficacy and performance beyond that explained by GMA, prior experience, baseline performance, pre-practice self-efficacy, goal orientation, and core self-evaluations, and was indirectly related to adaptive performance via post-practice self-efficacy and performance. Self-belief was the mental toughness subscale primarily responsible for the incremental validity. Results are discussed in terms of the implications for the conceptualization and predictive validity of mental toughness.