Associations of Perceived Stress and Team Support with Mental Toughness and Resilience among Esports Players
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Esports has developed into a highly competitive activity, so that psychological pressure is experienced by players who are influenced by Perceived Stress due to a toxic online environment, but can be reduced through team support. Objectives: This study analyzed the influence of Perceived Stress and team support on the mental toughness and resilience of esports players. Method: This correlational quantitative study involved 167 active esports players aged 17–25 years who were convenience-sampled. Data were collected via validated online questionnaires assessing Perceived Stress, team support, mental toughness, and resilience, and were then analyzed using multiple linear regression. Result: Perceived stress and team support together accounted for 73.7% of the variance in mental toughness (R² = .737, F(2,164) = 229.70, p < .001). Perceived stress showed a significant association with mental toughness (β = 0.494, p < .001), as did team support (β = 0.446, p < .001). For resilience, the two predictors jointly accounted for 74.6% of the variance (R² = .746, F(2,164) = 240.28, p < .001). However, once team support was included in the model, perceived stress was not significantly associated with resilience (β = 0.046, p = .384), whereas team support demonstrated a strong, significant association (β = 0.832, p < .001). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the psychological resilience of esports players is influenced not only by individual character but also by social dynamics within a competitive environment. Therefore, mental toughness and resilience need to be strengthened through psychological support and team-based interventions to cope with competitive pressure.
Institution: Indonesia University of Education
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7223461738