Can you measure Mental Toughness? Is there a mental toughness test? If so, how do I take it? These are common questions we’re asked, and we are here with the good news that yes, you can measure Mental Toughness, and we can explain how. Read on to learn more.
Background
In 2002, the groundbreaking research into Mental Toughness by Professor Peter Clough and his team resulted in developing the Mental Toughness 4C’s framework and the related MTQ48 psychological assessment. This assessment evaluates an individual’s answers to a series of questions, allowing us to gauge their mental toughness – the extent to which they possess a resilient and positive mindset.
As Doug Strycharczyk, CEO of test publishers AQR International, describes, “it’s useful to think of each component of mental toughness as an aspect of our mindset, part of our mental processes which determine our default response to any given situation.” A mental toughness test allows us to
Sometimes, our default response may be appropriate and work well for us. Other times, it may mean we default to a response that isn’t useful for the situation, prompting us to reflect and change some aspect of our mindset and mental toughness. How this may look will vary between individuals, but one there are key universal elements that the Mental Toughness framework addresses.
The 4C’s of Mental Toughness
Each of the 4C’s of mental toughness within the framework and related assessment (now the MTQ Plus) represents a psychological construct:
- Control: This measures an individual’s self-efficacy and ability to manage emotions effectively, particularly in stressful situations. People high in control can remain calm and focused even when faced with adversity.
- Commitment: Commitment refers to the extent an individual is motivated by their purpose or goals and their ability to stay focused and persevere to overcome obstacles in pursuit of those goals.
- Challenge: Challenge measures how an individual perceives and responds to change and uncertainty. Those high in challenge view obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than threats and interpret setbacks as learning opportunities rather than major personal failures.
- Confidence: This represents self-belief in one’s abilities to succeed and accomplish goals while maintaining a positive outlook, even in the face of failure.
Control and Commitment relate to resilience, while Challenge and Confidence reflect positivity.
Why does it work?
The 4C’s framework provides a comprehensive understanding of mental toughness, encompassing various psychological resilience and performance aspects. By assessing these four dimensions, individuals and organisations can identify strengths and areas for development, ultimately enhancing performance and well-being.
The framework is used globally across all sectors and has many applications. Click here for more information on the subscales of each of the 4Cs within the MTQ Plus psychometric assessment.
