Heart rate variability as a physiological indicator or mental toughness

2016

Mental toughness is gaining prominence in sport psychology since athletes themselves, coaches, members of the press, sports commentators and sports psychologists have cited mental toughness as one of the most important psychological characteristics in elite sports. Even so, an extensive review of the available literature leads to the conclusion that there is a lack of a precise and widely accepted definition of mental toughness, while its conceptualization remains challenging. Therefore, based on the existing literature concerning physiological toughness (Dienstbier, 1989), this study examines through an innovative psychophysiological perspective how mental toughness operates, and thus cont…