INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCE RESEARCH
IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Mental toughness is a critical determinant of success in high-performance sports, particularly in precision-based disciplines like table tennis. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a structured 12-week psychological training program on the mental toughness of table tennis players. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test control group design was utilized, involving 40 players aged 17 to 25 years from a professional academy in Gurugram, Haryana. Participants were divided into an experimental group (n=20), which underwent psychological interventions including Visuo-Motor Behaviour Rehearsal (VMBR), self-talk training, and Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), and a control group (n=20) that followed regular training without intervention. The results indicated a significant improvement in mental toughness for the experimental group (pre-test M = 136, post-test M = 150), whereas the control group exhibited a slight decline (pre-test M = 141, post-test M = 137). ANCOVA results demonstrated a significant group effect (F(1,37) = 6.194, p = 0.017, η² = 0.143), suggesting that 14.3% of the variance in post-test scores was attributable to the intervention. The large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.801) further supported the effectiveness of the program. These findings underscore the importance of integrating psychological training into sports preparation to enhance mental resilience. Future research should explore long-term intervention effects, individual differences in response to training, and the potential for integrating additional psychological strategies to optimize mental toughness development in athletes.