title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL TOUGHNESS, STRESS, AND BURNOUT AMONG ADOLESCENTS: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY WITH SWISS VOCATIONAL STUDENTS (.).
abstract: Past research has shown that higher stress is associated with increased burnout symptoms. The purpose of this study was to test whether mental toughness protects against symptoms of burnout and whether mental toughness moderates the relationship between perceived stress and burnout over time. Fifty-four vocational students (M age = 18.1 yr., SD = 1.2; 27 males, 27 females) completed self-report questionnaires twice, 10 mo. apart. Perceived stress, mental toughness, and burnout were measured using the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ), the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ), and the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM). Students who perceived higher stress and lower mental toughness scores reported higher burnout symptoms. Although no significant interaction effects were found between stress and mental toughness in the prediction of burnout, the graphical inspection of the interactions indicated that among students with high stress, those with high mental toughness remained below the cutoff for mild burnout, whereas an increase in burnout symptoms was observable among peers with low mental toughness.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Basel.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Basel.
authors.forename: Anne Karina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Feldmeth
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Basel.
authors.forename: Christin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Basel.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Basel.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Elliot
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Basel.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holsboer-Trachsler
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Basel.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pühse
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D014829:Vocational Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult