As a result MTQ Assessments have many useful applications for people and organisations in occupations and sectors that are subject to , pressures and challenges or wherever performance, behaviour and wellbeing is an issue.
MTQ Assessments are widely used in the Corporate sector in:
- Training & Development
- Leadership Development
- Coaching
- Organisation Development
- Performance
- Talent Management
- Career Transition and Outplacement
MTQ is widely used in Education and the development of young people.
Research and projects carried out in schools, colleges and universities in the UK and in Holland, show that Mental Toughness in young people is strongly correlated with:
- Performance in exams and overall educational attainment
- Behaviour through better attendance and positive and active participation in classes.
- Retention/drop-out rates with those students with lower Mental Toughness at most risk of underperforming, dropping out or failing to complete their course of study.
- Employability improved and the ability to get a job that they want.
- Transition more smoothly and effectively from primary to secondary school, school to university and education into the workplace.
MTQ Assessments are widely used in Sport.
The beneficial impact of Mental Toughness is well understood by most coaches and athletes. The key areas are:
- Performance
- Positive Behaviour
- Wellbeing
- Aspirations
AQR have developed a version of the Mental Toughness Questionnaire specifically for the Sports sector using language applicable in the sporting world. The measure enables coaches, trainers and athletes to make better assessments and identify why they do or don’t perform under the pressure of completion when they know they can perform well away from that pressure.
It can also explain why some athletes are better suited to contact sports and why some perform better in team sports than in solitary sports. Or why an athlete of lesser ability with a winning mentality can often, will often beat an athlete of greater ability.
MTQ is widely used for Social and Health Applications
As Mental Toughness became better understood as a personality trait which applies where personality is a factor in behaviour and performance, so the range of applications widened and now is increasingly used for applications in the Social and Health services sector
Social Applications include:
- Worklessness – building aspiration and confidence where there is little tradition of any work ethic.
- Aspiration – working with people of all ages to believe that they can achieve. This is particularly important in education where lack of aspiration can prevent individuals from going onto Further and Higher Education.
- Offenders & Young Offenders – The evidence shows a link with offending and mental sensitivity (the opposite of mental toughness). Applications include early intervention with young offenders through to working with prisoners prior to release to reduce the risk of re-offending.
- Employability – particularly with long term unemployed, developing the confidence, commitment and sense of control to find a way back into the job market.
- Restorative Practice – working with perpetrators of crime and their victims to deal with the impact of the crime and emerge stronger.
Wider social applications include:
- Parenting skills – developing the behaviours and mind-set to understand the family and to be more effective in developing those in their care
- Carers – a widely under-recognised group. Carers carry a great deal of responsibility often with little real support. The carers role is high in stressors, challenge and pressure.
- Community Cohesion – enabling members of communities to participate more effectively in community activities and to enable building community cohesion. Include supporting individuals to become involved in representative activity in communities.
Health Applications comprise two main areas
Mental Health and Addiction – On-going research is examining the relationship between Mental Toughness and mental health conditions such as eating disorders. Addiction is also an area where Mental Toughness can bring fresh insight and much more effective interventions. For example, pilot studies are underway to examine the relationship between an individual’s Mental Toughness and their capability to give up smoking.
General Health – Diet and Fitness On-going work suggest that, statistically, the greater the level of Mental Toughness the more likely an individual is to maintain fitness and good fitness regimes and will eat carefully and better.