Introduction. Mental Toughness (MT) is a personality trait that includes an array of positive characteristics such as perceiving challenge as an opportunity rather than a threat and feeling in control of life situations. MT facilitates effective coping as reaction to stressors allowing individuals to proactively seek out opportunities for personal growth. Individuals scoring high on MT are more likely to remain committed when confronting with stress; they are assertive in social situations and they are able to control their emotions effectively in the face of setbacks. The trait of subclinical narcissism includes facets retained from the clinical syndrome such as: grandiosity, entitlement, dominance, and superiority. Previous studies have shown that narcissism associates positively with MT. The exaggerated sense of self-worth associated with narcissism might render a narcissist optimistic, motivated, assertive, and successful in various contexts. Previous studies have shown that MT correlates positively with academic attainment and attendance in secondary school students and undergraduates. A limitation of the previous literature is the limited use of longitudinal designs to explore the directionality of the reported relationships between MT and academic performance. For example, it is possible that high educational performance contributes to the development of MT, which in turns facilitates performance at school. This is the first study that used a longitudinal design to explore the degree to which individual differences in MT and subclinical narcissism predict individual variation in school grades.
Method. The sample consisted of 343 adolescents (M = 15.65, SD = 1.42; males = 157) that took part in the MILES (a Multi-Cohort Investigation into Learning and Educational Success) study. This is an ongoing longitudinal project that aims to explore how cognitive, non-cognitive and emotional factors interact in explaining variation in three academic domains, namely, mathematics, literacy (Italian) and second language learning. Self-report measures were used to assess MT and narcissism. The students completed the Raven’s Progressive Matrices (collection wave 1). Their marks on mathematics, Italian and second language were accessed through their school records (collection wave 1 and 2). Multiple linear regression and mediation analysis were used to explore associations between MT and narcissism with school grades. General cognitive ability (g) was used as a covariate to explore whether the aforementioned personality traits exert an effect on school performance over and above the effect of g.
Results. MT correlated positively with narcissism (r = .27 – .37, p < .001). MT (collection wave 1 and 2) associated positively with mathematics, Italian and second language at wave 1 and 2, respectively, when controlling for age, sex and g. MT (wave 1) predicted a small percentage (< 5%) of the variation in mathematics, Italian and second language at wave 2. Narcissism did not associate significantly with school grades at wave 1 and 2. However narcissism exerted a significant indirect effect on school grades through MT.
Discussion. There is currently limited research that has explored the role of MT–a trait that associates with optimal performance under pressure situations across diverse contexts–in educational performance. The findings of this study suggest that MT could be a valuable personality trait in educational settings. Studying MT in relation to educational performance can shed light on the psychological resources that contribute to individual variation in this domain. It might also facilitate the development of effective interventions aimed at improving school and academic performance.
