Novel Psychological Instrument for Measuring Mental Toughness and Implications for Psychological Capital (PsyCap)

This research investigates the conceptualisation and measurement of Mental Toughness (MT) in high-performance environments, specifically among individual athletes and team sports participants. Initial investigations employed the Repertory Grid technique and Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) analyses to elucidate personal constructs of MT. Subsequent thematic analysis identified six novel domains of MT: Discipline, Motivation, Perseverance, Self-Belief, Tenacity, and Leadership.

Mental Toughness is essential for performance under duress and has been extensively explored within sports contexts. Psychological Capital (PsyCap), encompassing Hope, Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism, serves as a theoretical model for employee well-being. This research seeks to determine whether MT functions as a moderator for PsyCap, potentially enhancing its explanatory power and applicability across both sports and organisational settings.

The development of the Dorling Mental Toughness Questionnaire (DMTQ30) was informed by the newly identified MT domains. This instrument underwent validation through expert panel reviews and empirical testing with participant cohorts, ensuring robust content validity, construct validity, and reliability. The incorporation of these new domains within the DMTQ30 facilitates a more comprehensive assessment of MT, capturing dimensions previously underrepresented in existing measures.

Findings from the thematic analysis highlight the multifaceted nature of MT, emphasising its role within high-performance contexts. The refined conceptualisation of MT as a potential moderator of PsyCap presents implications for both theoretical advancement and practical application. This research underscores the necessity of context-specific measurement tools, providing a foundation for subsequent investigations and interventions aimed at enhancing resilience and performance in high-stress environments.

The aim of this presentation is to share the comprehensive research process, including the identification of new MT domains, the development and testing of the novel instrument, and the implications of these findings for PsyCap. Additionally, the presentation will explore the relationship between MT and the Big Five personality traits, demonstrating the instrument's novelty and impact compared to existing tools. The goal is to provide valuable insights for both academic research and practical applications in psychology and organisational settings.

Poor mental health is posing a significant burden on the Australian healthcare system, costing nearly $10 billion per year. While there has been considerable focus on treating and preventing mental illness, mental health promotion receives comparatively less attention. Given that almost 70-80% of the general population in Australia is not diagnosed with mental disorders, finding ways to encourage the general population to self-manage their mental health is crucial.

Self-monitoring is seen as the first step in self-management in mental health, commonly achieved through periodically completing self-report instruments. However, most self-report instruments used in practice typically screen for symptoms of mental illnesses such as K10 (psychological distress), PHQ-9 (depression) and GAD-7 (anxiety) but not mental well-being. A complete state of mental health encompasses mental well-being and mental illness. One consequence of adopting this conceptualisation, albeit more relevant to the general population, is the abundance of self-report instruments available, posing a challenge to develop a broad and ecologically valid mental health assessment for the general public.

This presentation aims to demonstrate the process of developing and optimising a digital mental health assessment relevant to the general population through a series of research studies. The journey began with conceptualising and developing a custom conceptual framework, followed by constructing and standardising an item pool before calibrating and optimising the items. Finally, a prototype was developed to showcase the viability of the solution. Besides sharing the results, this presentation will explore challenges encountered and how innovative digital solutions were used to address them. We hope to stimulate further discussions on utilising digital technology to promote mental health in Australia.