Vol. 5, Issue 1, Part A (2023)

This study aimed to assess Psychological Performance, namely Mental Toughness among Badminton players, considering gender differences with respect to their sport. The sample consisted of 50 participants who were selected based on their representation at the National Level in Badminton. The Psychological Performance Inventory (PPI) questionnaire was administered to measure Mental Toughness Scores for various sub-scales. Independent t-tests were conducted to compare Mental Toughness between Males and Females Badminton Players, with a significance level set at 0.05. The statistical analysis revealed that Females exhibited higher levels of Mental Toughness in Self Confidence, Negative Energy Control, Attention Control and Motivation compared to Males. In some findings, the study revealed insignificant differences for Mental Toughness for Visualization & Imagery Control, Positive Energy Control between Male and Female Badminton Players. These findings confirm that, looking at the present scenario, women are more Mentally Tough than men. It is observed that Women’s achieving more Medals, brining laurels for our country exhibit inspiration to the youth Female Badminton Players, the reason being they showed better Psychological Performance. Therefore, the study showed significantly more Mentally Tough factors for Women than Men’s Mental Toughness. The study also suggests, in one factor, Male Badminton Players also showed significantly more developed Attitude Control over Females, the reason being to be more experiencing tournament could be a major factor of the outcome.