The Effect of Sports-Reflective Writing on Mental Toughness in Clay Pigeon Shooting - An Intervention
Author
Løvengreen, Nina Dorthea
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-08-03
Abstract
This Master’s thesis examines how a four‑week sports‑reflective writing intervention may influence mental toughness in clay pigeon shooters, and how the participants themselves perceive its impact on their training and handling of mistakes. Drawing on learning theories, including Bandura’s self‑regulation theory, Schön’s reflective practitioner and Problem‑Based Learning, the study assumes that systematic self‑reflection can strengthen underlying psychological factors such as self‑awareness and self‑regulation that support mental toughness. In this pilot study, clay pigeon shooters took part in a pre‑post intervention design where mental toughness was assessed using the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ), supplemented by qualitative questions about their experience of the intervention. Quantitative analyses included means, standard deviations, effect sizes and Cronbach’s alpha for both total mental toughness and the subscales Confidence, Constancy and Control. Qualitative responses were analysed thematically, revealing three main themes: improved self‑awareness and reflection, improved self‑regulation and a shift in performance orientation. The results showed no statistically significant changes in overall mental toughness or its subscales, but indicated a moderate‑to‑large effect size for total mental toughness, small‑to‑moderate for Confidence and small for Constancy. At the same time, the qualitative findings suggested that participants experienced the intervention as positive and helpful for training and mistake management. The thesis discusses limitations such as small sample size, variation in adherence, potential biases and study duration, and concludes that sports‑reflective writing appears to be a promising, comparatively low‑demand approach that merits further investigation with stronger study designs and clarification of which components are most feasible and beneficial for athletes.
Dette kandidatspeciale undersøger, hvordan en fire ugers sports-refleksiv skriveintervention kan påvirke mental toughness hos skytter i lerdueskydning, og hvordan de selv oplever dens betydning for træning og håndtering af fejl. Med afsæt i læringsteori, herunder Banduras selvreguleringsteori, Schöns teori om den reflekterende praktiker og PBL-tilgangen, antages det, at systematisk selvrefleksion kan styrke underliggende psykologiske faktorer som selvbevidsthed og selvregulering, der igen kan understøtte mental toughness. I dette pilotstudie deltog lerdueskytter i et pre-post interventionsdesign, hvor mental toughness blev målt med Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ), suppleret med kvalitative spørgsmål om deltagernes oplevelse af interventionen. De kvantitative analyser omfattede middelværdier, standardafvigelser, effektstørrelser og Cronbach’s alpha for både det samlede mental toughness-score og delskalaerne selvtillid, vedholdenhed og kontrol. De kvalitative svar blev analyseret tematisk og pegede på tre hovedtemaer: øget selvbevidsthed og refleksion, forbedret selvregulering og et skift i præstationsorientering. Resultaterne viste ingen statistisk signifikante ændringer i mental toughness eller delskalaerne, men der fremkom moderat til stor effektstørrelse for det samlede mental toughness-score, lille til moderat for selvtillid og lille for vedholdenhed. Samtidig indikerede de kvalitative fund, at deltagerne oplevede interventionen som positiv og hjælpsom i forhold til træning og fejl-håndtering. Specialet diskuterer begrænsninger som lille stikprøve, varierende efterlevelse, potentielle bias og studiets varighed, og konkluderer, at sports-refleksiv skrivning rummer et lovende, relativt lavt ressourcekrævende potentiale, der bør udforskes yderligere med stærkere design og afklaringer af, hvilke elementer der er mest hensigtsmæssige og realistiske for atleter.
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Keywords