Investigation of the levels of perfectionism and fear of failure of national taekwondo athletes: A mixed method study

This study is aimed to study was to examine located in Turkey Taekwondo national team of elite athletes' levels of perfectionism and fear of failure through mixed research methods of triangulation design pattern. A total of 15 national team athletes, 7 females and 8 males, participated in the quantitative research part of the study. As a data collection tool, Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale in Sport and Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory were used. In the study, national team athletes; According to the gender variable, there was a significant difference in the sub-dimensions of fear of failure and the fear of uncertain future and general fear of failure (p<0.05). A significant difference was found in the sub-dimension of family pressure perceived according to the variable that the coach is a family member (p<0.05). In the qualitative research section, 11 national team athletes (6 females, 5 males) participated in the research. The data were collected by semi-structured interview technique. In the study, opinions, emotions and thoughts of elite national team athletes about the concept of perfectionism and fear of failure were determined. In the main theme of perfectionism, 7 categories and 35 codes, in the main theme of fear of failure, 6 categories and 36 codes were revealed. Keywords: Perfectionism, Fear of failure, National athlete, Taekwondo, Mixed method.