The effect of athletic mental energy on wrestlers' sports courage and attitudes toward wrestling

Abstract

Background and Study Aim Material and Methods This study aimed to determine whether athletic mental energy played a mediating role between wrestlers' sports courage and attitudes toward wrestling. The study developed an original theoretical model, which was tested using the Sobel test. The sample consisted of 247 wrestlers in the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling Leagues, U-23, 1. League, 2. League, and Stars Wrestling Leagues of the 2021-2022 Turkish Wrestling Federation. Participants were recruited using random sampling. Data were collected using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, the Guttman Attitude Scale Towards Wrestling (GAS), the Sports Courage Scale-31 (SCS-31), and the Athletic Mental Energy Scale (AMES). Results There was a positive correlation between attitudes toward wrestling and athletic mental energy. There was a positive correlation between athletic mental energy and sports courage. There was a positive correlation between attitudes toward wrestling and sports courage. Moreover, athletic mental energy played a fully mediating role between sports courage and attitudes toward wrestling. Conclusions The results confirmed the theoretical model. Our results also point to the effects of athletic mental energy on sports performance. Athletic mental energy plays a fully mediating role between sports courage and attitudes toward wrestling. Authorities should inform wrestlers about the relationship between athletic mental energy, mental training, and sports courage. Wrestlers should practice developing positive attitudes toward wrestling and build up the courage to show high performance during competitions. Researchers should recruit different samples to investigate the mediating role of athletic mental energy between wrestling attitude and sports courage.