The Mediating Role of Self-Confidence in the Relationship Between Mental Toughness and Performance in Handball

Ali Jabbar Murhij (Ministry of Education, Najaf Education Directorate)

Academia Open
Vol. 11 No. 2 (2026): December

General Background: Handball performance involves physical, technical, tactical, and psychological dimensions, particularly when players must maintain concentration and respond to pressure during competition. Specific Background: Mental toughness and self-confidence are identified in the study as psychological variables associated with athletic performance, while their interrelationship requires examination among university handball players. Knowledge Gap: The mediating role of self-confidence in the relationship between mental toughness and handball performance has not been specifically examined within the University of Kufa handball team. Aims: This study identifies the levels of mental toughness, self-confidence, and performance and examines the relationships among these variables and the mediating role of self-confidence. Results: A descriptive correlational design was applied to all 14 players of the University of Kufa handball team, aged 19–22 years. Mental toughness correlated positively with self-confidence (r = 0.761) and performance (r = 0.648), while self-confidence correlated with performance at r = 0.812. Mental toughness explained 42% of the variance in performance. Mediation analysis showed a path from mental toughness to self-confidence of β = 0.761 and from self-confidence to performance of β = 0.624, while the direct path from mental toughness to performance was β = 0.173 (p = 0.181). The indirect effect was 0.475, with a 95% bootstrap confidence interval of 0.229–0.721 and p = 0.002. Novelty: The study examines self-confidence as a mediating variable between mental toughness and handball performance. Implications: The findings support incorporating mental training alongside physical and technical training within handball preparation. Highlights: Self-confidence correlated with performance at r = 0.812. Mental toughness explained 42% of performance variance. The indirect pathway through self-confidence was 0.475. Keywords: Mental, Toughness, Self Confidence, Performance, Handball.