Personality Traits of Athletes as Measured by the MMPI

Abstract

Abstract In this study, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was used to compare the personality ratings of the following groups of college students: 1. Freshman and upper-class athletes and non-athletes; 2. Freshman and varsity athletes who participated in only team, individual, or team and individual sports; and 3. Athletes who were rated as poor or good competitors. On the interest (Mf) variable, the non-athletes scored significantly higher than the athletes. Freshman athletes, freshman non-athletes, and upper-class non-athletes scored significantly higher than the varsity athletes on the anxiety (A) variable. Varsity athletes and the upper-class non-athletes scored significantly higher than the freshman athletes and non-athletes on the dominance (Do) variable. On the social responsibility (Re) variable, the upper-class non-athletes scored significantly higher than the freshman athletes and non-athletes and the varsity athletes. Varsity athletes who participated in only individual sports scored significantly higher on the depression (D) variable than those who participated only in team sports. On the psychasthenia (Pt) variable, the participants in varsity individual sports scored significantly higher than the athletes who participated in both team and individual varsity sports. Twenty-two items that discriminated significantly between poor and good competitors were selected from the 550 items of the MMPI.