Common Variance of Satisfaction in Recreational Sport and Job and the Role of Mental Toughness: Mutual Antecedent or Mediator?

This study examines the relationships between mental toughness, sport satisfaction and job satisfaction, focusing on job satisfaction as the output-variable. We define mental toughness as a latent construct comprising grit and self-control, reflecting the psychological capacity to maintain goal pursuit and resilience across different life domains. Conservation of Resources Theory emphasizes that personal resources acquired in one domain, such as sport, can be transferred to another, such as work. Considering mental toughness as a personal resource, this framework suggests two competing mediational hypotheses: sports satisfaction transfers to job satisfaction through mental toughness (H1) or mental toughness promotes sport satisfaction, which in turn increases job satisfaction (H2). Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, self-reported data from N = 196 employed individuals were analyzed through structural equation modeling. Results supported hypothesis H1, showing a significant indirect effect (β = .20, p < .01) of sport satisfaction on job satisfaction through mental toughness. In contrast, testing for hypothesis H2, we did not find an indirect effect between mental toughness and job satisfaction through sport satisfaction (β = .01, p = .85). The findings provide cross-sectional support for the resource-transfer mechanism proposed by COR, demonstrating how common variance of satisfaction in recreational sport and at work is statistically explained by mental toughness. Practically, the results highlight the value of promoting recreational sport participation first and mental training in organizations second to enhance employee satisfaction and resilience.