Analysis of the relationship between the psychological well-being levels of volleyball players and their mental toughness according to certain variables

This study aimed to examine and compare the relationship between psychological well-being and mental toughness according to some variables including the demographic and sports characteristics of volleyball players. The study was designed with relational and instant-scanning techniques among the quantitative research methods. While the population of the study consisted of all athletes in university volleyball teams in the 2022-2023 season, the sample group consisted of a total of 226 volleyball players, 116 female and 110 male, aged between 18-27 years, who participated in the Inter-University Super League Qualification Competitions. As data collection tools, the Personal Information Form prepared by the researcher, the Psychological Well-Being Scale developed by Diener et al. (2009) and adapted to Turkish by Telef (2013) ,and the Mental Toughness in Sports Inventory developed by Sheard et al. (2009) and adapted to Turkish by Altinbas and Koruc (2016) were used. The data obtained in the study were analyzed with SPSS (v23) statistical package program. Since the internal consistency coefficient and skewness-kurtosis values of the data showed normal distribution, the independent sample t-test was used when comparing binary groups in line with the purposes of the research, the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used in comparisons with three or more groups, and the correlation test method was used to examine the relationship between the scales. According to the research findings, a significant difference was found in mental toughness and its sub-dimensions in sports age, playing position, the highest league level where the athlete participated in the competitions, age, and gender variables (p<0.05). However, although a significant difference was determined in the psychological well-being levels of volleyball players in favor of female athletes according to the gender variable (p<0.05), it was observed that other variables did not have a determinant role in the psychological well-being levels (p>0.05). In addition, it was determined that there was a significant positive relationship between the mental toughness and psychological well-being levels of volleyball players (p<0.01). As a result, it can be stated that the psychological well-being levels of female volleyball players were higher than those of male players, but their mental toughness levels were lower than those of male volleyball players. In addition, it can be stated that the increase in the level of league played by volleyball players and the increase in sports age positively affected the mental toughness of the athletes. In addition to these results, it is thought that the positive relationship between psychological well-being and mental toughness observed in volleyball players may have a role that can affect the relationship between sports psychological well-being and mental toughness.