Psychological Attributes of Ethiopian Handball Premier League Players: An Assessment of Mental Toughness, Self-Confidence, and Mental Imagery

Abstract

Understanding the psychological attributes of athletes is important for maximizing performance in competitive sports. This study was conducted to investigate the level of mental toughness, self-confidence, and mental imagery in Ethiopian Handball Premier League. A descriptive quantitative survey research design was implemented standardized instruments are utilized. Data of 105 players were analyzed with the help of the statistical program (SPSS version 26), and descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequencies) were used to summarize the data. One-way analysis of variance with post-hoc Tukey comparisons was used to test the differences between the clubs. Results showed medium levels of mental toughness, high self-confidence and medium mental imagery. While there were no significant differences in toughness and confidence across clubs, there were significant differences in mental imagery, which may reflect inequity in integrating and fidelity of instruction for psychological skills training. These findings highlight the need to develop structured PST programs in Ethiopian handball and create a basis for future research and policy development aimed at improving athlete performance.