Mental training skills and mindfulness levels of wrestling athletes

The aim of this study is to examine the mental training skills and mindfulness levels of athletes in the wrestling branch of the Turkish Olympic Preparation Centers (TOHM) and to determine the relationship between these two variables. The study was conducted with a total of 147 volunteer athletes aged between 13 and 23 from TOHM centers located in Edirne, Kahramanmaraş, Manisa, Bursa, and Ankara. Data were collected online via Google Forms and analyzed accordingly. The data collection tools included the "Mental Training Inventory in Sports (SZAE)", the "Athlete Mindfulness Scale", and a personal information form developed by the researcher. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 27.0 software, employing independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis. The findings revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in mental training skills or mindfulness levels based on gender, competition category, age, injury history, or years of athletic experience. However, in certain subdimensions—such as refocusing and awareness—female athletes scored higher than their male counterparts. Although increases in mental skills and mindfulness levels were observed with longer years of athletic practice and injury duration, these increases were not statistically significant. The most notable finding of the study was a moderate, positive, and statistically significant correlation between mental training skills and mindfulness levels (r = .699; p < 0.01). This result suggests that athletes with more advanced mental skills also tend to have higher levels of mindfulness. The findings indicate that the holistic development of psychological processes can have a positive impact on athletes' performance and psychological resilience.