THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAI MENTAL TOUGHNESS INVENTORY

Abstract

The toughness of mental ability is an opportunity of sport success and ultimate goal of athletes. A standard mental toughness test for athletes is not existed in Thailand. The objective of the present study was to develop Thai mental toughness inventory employing Middleton (2005a) as for the originality of theoretical guideline. The mental toughness inventory was back translated (Brislin, 1987) into Thai and administered to a sample of 655 high school athletes from 13 sport schools of Thailand. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistical analysis through SPSS, and the inventory’s construct validity was analyzed by using confirmatory factor analysis through LISREL 8.50. An investigation of the inventory’s construct validity confirmed 12 factors: 1) Self – Efficacy, 2) Positive Comparisons, 3) Task Value, 4) Potential, 5) Task Familiarity, 6) Personal Bests, 7) Stress Minimization, 8) Mental Self – Concept, 9) Positivity, 10) Perseverance, 11) Task Focus, and 12) Goal Commitment. The overall reliability of the test, as indicated by coefficient alpha, was found to be as .95, factors correlation was .46 - .99. The validation of the inventory’s construct validity is acceptable fit (good) (chi square = 1,658.64, df = 528, RMSEA = .057, NNFI = .977, CFI = .981. The validation of the inventory’s construct validity of male athletes (chi square = 1,276.59, df = 528, RMSEA = .058, NNFI = .974, CFI = .978) and female athletes (chi square = 1,223.03, df = 528, RMSEA = .075, NNFI = .961, CFI = .968 are similar. The Thai mental toughness inventory is a reliable and valid instrument for being used in assessing mental toughness of Thai youth athletes.