Mental Skills Training: An Often-Overlooked Aspect of Preparation for Future High-Performing Athletes in Sports Schools

The present study aims to analyze the development of achievement motivation and self-efficacy belief in the context of elite sports schools. A total of 658 athletes (349 female, 309 male) from Year 5 onwards participated in the central trials and performance assessments in track and field for elite sports schools between 2016 and 2025. In addition to the analysis of physical and athletic performance, the following aspects were also documented: achievement motivation, need for achievement motives and general self-efficacy beliefs. Firstly, differences between the genders were measured in terms of fear of failure and confidence, exhibiting a small effect size ranging from 0.175 to 0.25 and a significance of 0.001 and 0.026. A subsequent analysis of the Kruskal–Wallis test, pertaining to the various groups with differing performance levels, revealed significant disparities in self-discipline (p = 0.010), goal setting (p = 0.013) and confidence (p = 0.029). The effect sizes for these differences ranged from 0.08 to 0.14, indicating a modest magnitude of impact. The psychological profile of the top athletes, which is based on the psychological determinants of the study, differs significantly from that of the other groups of athletes at time t1 (p = 0.001). It is recommended that appropriate training and guidance from coaches and sports psychologists be provided, given that confidence and self-efficacy expectations are key predictors of physical and athletic performance.