Understanding the relationship between sport-related psychological safety and mental toughness in male elite athletes

Background The importance of mental health in elite sport has gained recognition, highlighting the need for supportive, highly competitive performance environments. This study investigates the relationship between psychological safety and mental toughness in elite sport, focusing on the mediating role of psychological distress, to advance understanding of how mental health can be maintained in competitive environments where mental toughness is often prioritized. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based survey of 541 Japanese male rugby players, including the Kessler Distress Scale (K10), a 15-item mental toughness scale (MT), and the Sport Psychological Safety Inventory (SPSI). Mediation analysis was conducted to assess the direct and indirect association of SPSI with MT through K10, with the significance of the mediation effect evaluated using a Sobel test. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to ensure robustness, adjusting for covariates. Results The analysis included 220 Japanese players with no missing values (response rate: 40.6%). The regression analysis revealed that higher scores on the SPSI scores were associated with lower K10 scores (β = -0.367, p < 0.001). In turn, K10 scores were negatively associated with MT (β = -0.286, p < 0.001), while SPSI scores were positively related to MT (β = 0.539, p < 0.001). The Sobel test confirmed the indirect effect of SPSI on MT through K10 (z = 2.818, p < 0.01), indicating significant mediation. In the sensitivity analysis, the indirect effect remained significant after adjusting for covariates (z = 2.97, p < 0.001). Conclusion A psychologically safe environment in sports might enhance mental toughness among elite athletes both directly and indirectly by reducing psychological distress. These results highlight the potential association between psychological safety in sports and both mental health and mental toughness, as both constructs have been linked with improved performance outcomes in prior research. The findings underscore the necessity for sports organizations to implement targeted interventions and policies that promote psychological safety and mental health support.