The Effect of Mental Toughness on Reaction Time among Turkish Female Tennis Players: Predictive Study

This study investigated the effect of mental toughness on reaction time among 16-year-old licensed female tennis players, aiming to provide insights into the role of psychological skills in sport performance. Mental toughness was assessed using Erdoğan's (2016) Mental Toughness Scale (MTS), including total scores and subdimensions such as self-confidence, focus, and resilience. Reaction time was measured through the FitLight Trainer™ system, employing both Simple Reaction Time (SRT) and Choice Reaction Time (CRT) tests, with SRT ranging from 210 to 323 ms and CRT from 345 to 480 ms. Correlation analyses indicated a significant negative relationship between total mental toughness scores and SRT (r = -0.60, p < 0.01), while the subdimensions of self-confidence and focus demonstrated strong negative correlations with reaction times (r = -0.62 and r = -0.60, p < 0.01, respectively). Regression analysis showed that mental toughness accounted for 34% of the variance in SRT (F(1,28) = 14.9, p < 0.001), suggesting its predictive value in simple reaction performance. Although the correlation with CRT was weaker, it remained significant (r = -0.35, p < 0.05), highlighting the broader impact of mental toughness on both simple and choice reaction tasks. The study emphasizes that psychological factors, particularly mental toughness, are crucial for enhancing reaction speed in young athletes. These findings underscore the practical implications for integrating mental toughness development programs in tennis training, as well as the potential social and developmental benefits for adolescent athletes. Limitations of the study include the relatively small and homogenous sample, suggesting future research could expand the sample size and include players from different leagues to increase variability and generalizability. Overall, the results contribute to the understanding of the interaction between psychological skills and physical performance, providing evidence for coaches and practitioners to implement mental skills training alongside conventional technical and physical preparation.