“Puso?...Para sa bayan!..ba ito talaga?

”: A Bioecological approach of Filipino Elite Athletes in Mental

Toughness (MT) Development: A Literature Review

Raniel R. Lampitoc

“Puso?...Para sa bayan!..ba ito talaga?”: A

Bioecological approach of Filipino Elite Athletes
in Mental Toughness (MT) Development: A
Literature Review

Submitted by:
Raniel R. Lampitoc

Submitted to
Dr. Madelene Sta. Maria

A partial fulfillment for the coursework;

Foundations in Human Development (PSY506M)

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“Puso?...Para sa bayan!..ba ito talaga?”: A Bioecological approach of Filipino Elite Athletes in Mental
Toughness (MT) Development: A Literature Review

Raniel R. Lampitoc

MENTAL TOUGHNESS IN SPORTS AND ITS DEVELOPMENT

The concept of achieving the talent development of athletes has been a fascination from

the scholars of sport sciences for the recent decades of research. Some of them even focused on

different sport sciences attributes like talent development (E.g. Physiology, Biomechanical, and

Motor development etc.) areas (Gulbin, Croser, Morley, & Weissensteiner, 2013; Vaeyens, Lenoir,

Williams, & Philippaerts, 2008) and recently scholars are trying to develop a foundation of

building blocks on individual psychological factors that has an impact in sport performance

(Hanton, & Connaughton, 2007). Mental Toughness has different definition in scholars who tried

to understand the power of this psychological factor, Jones (2002) defined it as the natural or

developed psychological edge that gives you the following:1.) Coping mechanism better than the

environmental demand of the sport itself (eg. Competition preparation, training, lifestyle etc.) 2.)

to be better and consistent than your opponents by having focus, confidence, controlling pressure

and determination. Other scholars (eg. Butt, Weinberg & Culp, 2010; Jones, Hanton, &

Connaughton, 2002 as cited by Mahoney et.al., 2014) used Mental Toughness in their research are

cluster of psychological advents which has a vital role in producing high performances. In the

study of Gudiciardi et.al (2015) conducted a research to address the pertaining concern of

conceptual issues where he stated that there are three of them. First is the dimensionality, in which

Gudiciardi described it by using the definition of Bacharach (1989), he stated

“Whereas a definition of a concept ought to be described in relatively general terms, the

nature and number of dimensions should be encapsulated by a corresponding model (Gudiciardi

et. Al., 2015, pg. 8).”

In this paper, he and his colleague tried asking the question if Mental Toughness is Unidimensional

or multidimensional. The results of their study found out that Mental Toughness is

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“Puso?...Para sa bayan!..ba ito talaga?”: A Bioecological approach of Filipino Elite Athletes in Mental
Toughness (MT) Development: A Literature Review

Raniel R. Lampitoc

multidimensional and there might be a possible overlap between the Mental Toughness variables

used. The scholars recommended to have reconsideration and examination in qualitatively

approach used by the other study may not be accurate.

The second variable that they tried to observe was the nomological network of the Mental

toughness where they defined as part of MT;

“Mental Toughness as a personal capacity to produce consistently high levels 851 of subjective (e.g., goal

progress) or objective performance (e.g., sales, race time, GPA) 852 despite everyday challenges and stressors as

well as significant adversities received support 853 across several studies (Gudiciardi, et.al., 2015 pg. 35).”

In their findings, agree with Lazarus & Folkman (1984) that mental toughness is an important

player in which its key role was determining how a person perceive challenges that they may

encounter during their transactions with the environment (as cited in Gudiciardi et.al. 2016).

The last factor that he observed was the traitness of Mental Toughness in which they found

out in their study;

“Interpretation of MT as a characteristic adaptation, that is, a contextualized expression

of dispositional traits that are activated or shaped by contextual or social factors (e.g., motives,

values, coping styles, personal strivings,self-beliefs)”

Base on their findings, they consider social factor and the context of an individual in a

certain trait to interpret how Mental toughness adapts to a person’s characteristics and one of his

connote suggestions in his study of possible replication however in the different setting and

different life instances of a person. (eg. Injury, Loss of a love one etc.). In Another study of Nichols

et. Al (2009), found out that there were no significant variances among athletes who participate in

team or individual sports and athletes who participate in contact or non-contact sports. The finding

would suggest a that Mental Toughness is a personality trait that does not disagree from situation

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“Puso?...Para sa bayan!..ba ito talaga?”: A Bioecological approach of Filipino Elite Athletes in Mental
Toughness (MT) Development: A Literature Review

Raniel R. Lampitoc

to situation. With these given circumstances, Mental Toughness in sports determines as a

makeshift to outwit others but the questions linger how well they are pursuing a goal in performing

more against an opponent and this psychological factor also makes an difference between physical

tough athletes to an elite and great athletes. This researches really provided us an overview of what

mental toughness is thus gave us an definite question on how it helps us, however despite in past

decade despite there was a rise of research in the psychological aspect of developing and

maintaining mental toughness and in one of the claims of academic scholars in studying mental

toughness in which he used the theoretical framework of Bronfenbrenner and Moris (2006)’s

Bioecological model of Human Development and said;

“Future research could explore how environments and events that indirectly affect adolescents

influence mental toughness development, if at all.”

The authors even suggested to how the Person-Process-Context-Time approach of

Bronfrenbrenner could be use as a gateway to understand more the development of mental

toughness and they even suggested to seek the under standing of exploration of the environment

and events that indirectly affect the development of the important psychological factor.

Hence, these meaning of mental toughness that was conceptualized are based only with the

adult athlete’s viewpoints and there was a lack of synthesizing the literatures that uncover the

analysis of subjective phenomena of mental toughness development (Anthony et.al., 2016).

BIOECOLOGICAL MODEL IN SPORTS

However Krebs (2009) initiated a study of talent development in sports applying

Bronfrenbrenner and Morris’ (2006) bioecological model of human development. Where he

acknowledges the claims of the scholars who made the theory that proximal processes as an

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“Puso?...Para sa bayan!..ba ito talaga?”: A Bioecological approach of Filipino Elite Athletes in Mental
Toughness (MT) Development: A Literature Review

Raniel R. Lampitoc

important factor of Talent Development into sports while considering also with the support from

the other PPCT Framework variable. Anthony and his Colleagues initiated a meta-synthesis of the

different Mental Toughness Development articles. They tried synthesizing it to possibly came up

a framework in studying the Mental Toughness Development of athletes. In his findings where

they purposively selected journals and academic articles to be able to synthesis the development

of Mental Toughness like what could be the possible approach that could be established. Anthony

and his colleagues suggested and made a framework of Bioecological Model of Mental Toughness

Development where he also referred to the Model of Bronfrenbrenner and Morris where they

incorporated the findings of their study and described it as the Bioecological model of Mental

Toughness Development (Johnson et al. 2016) as they have stated;

“This model allows an opportunity to shift the focus for the next iteration of MT
development research using a well-supported developmental model, providing an emphasis on the
interdependent process–person–context–time components, herein identified as important aspects
of MT development (pg. 27).”

In his statement, there are possible avenues to conduct further researches using the

bioecological model to understand how development of mental toughness happens. First, the

scholars contested that there is possibility that culture plays a role in the mental toughness where

in the paper entitled “A phenomenological exploration of exercise mental toughness: perceptions

of exercise leaders and regular exercisers” Crust and her colleagues (2016) discussed that

Masculinity of man in Mental toughness in which shows that females even shows mental

toughness than men. It describes that the presence of the mental toughness to gender.

Overall, Johnson et. Al (2016), He claimed that there is an interplay between culture and

sports and the highlights of Bioecological model will help the understanding with the use of

exploration thru phenomenological study can see the broader picture of macrosystem might help

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“Puso?...Para sa bayan!..ba ito talaga?”: A Bioecological approach of Filipino Elite Athletes in Mental
Toughness (MT) Development: A Literature Review

Raniel R. Lampitoc

a further developmental understanding of Mental Toughness. Another claim was to have a

longitudinal study of the development of mental toughness thru time also with the guidance of the

bioecological model.

References
Anthony, D.R., Gucciardi, D.F., & Gordon, S. (2016): A meta-study of qualitative research on

mental toughness development, International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology,

DOI: 10.1080/1750984X.2016.1146787

Connaughton, D., & Hanton, S. (2009). Mental toughness in sport: Conceptual and practical issues.

In S. D. Mellalieu & S. Hanton (Eds.), Advances in applied sport psychology: A review

(pp. 317–346). London: Routledge

Crust, L., Swann, C., Allen-Collinson, J., Breckon, J., & Weinberg, R. (2014). A Phenomeno-

logical exploration of exercise mental toughness: perceptions of exercise leaders and

regular exercisers. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 6, 441e461.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2014.901986.

Gucciardi, D. F., Hanton, S., Gordon, S., Mallett, C. J., & Temby, P. (2015). The concept

and measurement of mental toughness: Test of dimensionality, nomological network

and traitness. Journal of Personality

Gulbin, J. P., Croser, M. J., Morley, E. J., & Weissensteiner, J. R. (2013). An integrated framework

for the optimisation of sport and athlete development: A practitioner approach. Journal of

Sports Sciences, 31, 1319–1331. doi:10.1080/02640414.2013.781661

Krebs, R. J. (2009). Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory of human development and the

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“Puso?...Para sa bayan!..ba ito talaga?”: A Bioecological approach of Filipino Elite Athletes in Mental
Toughness (MT) Development: A Literature Review

Raniel R. Lampitoc

process of development of sports talent. International Journal of Sport Psychology,40,

108-135.

Mahoney, J. W., Gucciardi, D. F., Mallett, C. J., & Ntoumanis, N. (2014). Adolescent performers’

perspectives on mental toughness and its development: The utility of the bioecological

model. The Sport Psychologist, 28, 233–244. doi:10.1123/tsp.2013-0050

Mahoney, J. W., Gucciardi, D. F., Ntoumanis, N., & Mallet, C. J. (2014). Mental Toughness in

Sport: Motivational Antecedents and Associations with Performance and Psychological

Health. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology,36(3), 281-292. doi:10.1123/jsep.2013-

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Jones, G., Hanton, S., & Connaughton, D. (2002). What is this thing called mental toughness?

An investigation of elite sport performers. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 14,

205-218. doi: 10.1080/10413200290103509.

Vaeyens, R., Lenoir, M., Williams, A. M., & Philippaerts, R. M. (2008). Talent identification and

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