Collegiate athletes' mental skill use and perceptions of success: An exploration of the practice and competition settings

The purposes of this study were to examine athletes' mental skill use in practice and competition, their mental skills training experience, and their perceptions of success. The Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) and a perception of success questionnaire were administered to 199 collegiate baseball and softball players. An ANOVA revealed a significantly greater use of mental skills in competition than in practice, and significantly higher perceptions of success in practice and competition were found when athletes reported a greater use of mental skills in both environments. The athletes' experience with mental skills training, however, did not have a significant influence on their mental skill use during practice or competition. The results demonstrate the importance of mental skill use, and provide numerous applied implications for practitioners as well as opportunities for further research regarding the practice environment of athletes.