Investigation of Mental Toughness and Competition Stress Levels Between Italian and Turkish Fencers

The aim of this study was to investigate the mental endurance and competition stress levels of Italian and Turkish fencers. Using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), psychological responses were evaluated in a sample of 121 athletes. The results revealed no significant differences in anxiety or resilience levels based on nationality, fencing discipline, or competitive level. However, cognitive and somatic anxiety were positively correlated, whereas both were negatively associated with self-confidence. These findings suggest that psychological patterns in fencing may remain consistent across demographic and performance-related variables. This study emphasizes the importance of individualized mental training programs to increase resilience and manage competitive stress.