94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or good
Learn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish.
Find out more
ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Sport Psychology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1385044
This article is part of the Research TopicThe Cognitive Era in Sports Performance: Mental Fatigue, Cognitive Training, Sleep and Psychological Ergogenic Substances-Volume IIView all articles
The Effect of Digital Literacy on Mental Toughness: Research on A Sport Branch
Provisionally accepted- 1Mersin University, Mersin, Türkiye
- 2Selçuk University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- 3Faculty of Sports Science, Mersin University, Mersin, Mersin, Türkiye
- 4Duzce University, Ankara, Ankara, Türkiye
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
The rapid digitalization of modern life necessitates robust digital literacy skills. Mental toughness, a crucial psychological attribute, also underpins success in various domains. This study investigates the potential relationship between these two constructs in the context of kickboxing athletes. A total of 242 athletes ( N= 95 female, N= 147 male) participated in the study. Digital literacy was assessed via a validated scale encompassing four subdimensions: attitude, technique, cognitive skills, and social engagement. Mental toughness was measured via established scales. Descriptive statistics, correlational analyses, and regression models were employed to examine the relationships between the variables. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the constructs' structural validity. Positive correlations were found between all four subdimensions of digital literacy and mental toughness. Regression analysis revealed significant positive impacts of the attitude (β =0.155), technique (β =0.190), and social dimensions (β=0.173) of digital literacy on mental toughness. Findings suggest a robust association between digital literacy and mental toughness in athletes. Increased positive attitudes, strong technical skills, and active social engagement in the digital realm contribute to enhanced mental resilience. Future research should explore potential interventions to foster digital literacy in athletes, potentially leading to improved mental fortitude and performance.
Keywords: Digital Literacy, Mental toughness, Athletes, Sport, Kickboxing
Received: 11 Feb 2024; Accepted: 09 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 ÖZSARI, Tek, Uysal, Genç, TOROS, Pepe and Altin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: TURHAN TOROS, Faculty of Sports Science, Mersin University, Mersin, 33100, Mersin, Türkiye
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.