Prediction of Mental Toughness from Dark Personality and the Motives for Playing Video Games in Competitive Online Video Game Players and Esports

Abstract

Introduction: Mental toughness is one of the central constructs of sports psychology in recent times. However, it has never been evaluated in the context of video games and esports. Objective: To analyze the relationships between mental strength and dark personality and the motives for playing video games, while examining its main predictors from the aforementioned variables. Materials and Method: an intentional sample of 987 competitive video games and esports players was formed, with an average age of 21 years, to which a sociodemographic questionnaire was applied, the dirty dozen dark personality scale, a scale of reasons for playing video games and a mental toughness scale. All participants accepted an informed consent prior to conducting the survey. Results: The highest correlations were found between psychopathy and mental toughness in the case of dark personality, and the competence-challenge and emotional activation dimension with mental thoughness in the case of the motives for playing video games. Conclusions: Mental strength is a key construct for sports competition, but in players with high levels of psychopathy, it can cause that in the search to win the cost it does not mattermatter.