Abstract
Cohesion, the degree of teamwork combined with interpersonal attraction, is a critical determinant of team stability, effectiveness, and individual satisfaction. This multifaceted construct bridges the psychological and tactical aspects of team organization, influencing both team and individual performance. The positive relationship between cohesion and performance is stronger for women than for men. Mental toughness (MT), characterized as a dynamic, state-like psychological resource, is theorized to enhance consistent performance under duress. However, the specific impact of MT training on cohesion remains underexplored in female sport teams. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of MT workshops on fostering individual-/team-level social and task cohesion within a collegiate female dance team. METHODS: A team of 33 collegiate female dancers participated in MT workshops weekly. Five bi-weekly assessments of cohesion were administered utilizing the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ). The GEQ captures both social and task cohesion facets at individual and team levels: Group Integration–Social (GIS; range: 4-36); Group Integration–Task (GIT; range: 5-45); Individual Attractions to the Group–Social (ATGS; range: 4-36); and Individual Attractions to the Group–Task (ATGT; range: 5-45). A linear mixed-effects model was employed in MATLAB to explore changes in overall and subscale cohesion scores over 10 weeks. RESULTS: Significant enhancements in cohesion were observed, with pivotal improvements identified at the fourth (β = 2.625, p < .001) and fifth (β = 5.095, p < .001) assessments. On the subscale level, similar significant uplifts were observed: a) ATGS: Notable elevations at Time 4 (+2.29) and Time 5 (+2.46); b) ATGT: Pronounced at Time 5 (+3.71); GIS: Peaking at Time 5 (+5.30); and GIT: Highest leap at Time 5 (+8.91). CONCLUSION: The administration of targeted MT workshops bolstered individual and team-level social and task cohesion. Significant improvements manifested post the mid-point of the intervention. This preliminary evidence advocates for extending the duration of such interventions beyond the initial six weeks to further amplify cohesion’s positive trajectory, potentially optimizing performance outcomes in female sport teams.
Recommended Citation
Cavan, Spencer and Stamatis, Andreas
(2024)
"Enhancing Cohesion in Collegiate Female Dance Teams: The Impact of Mental Toughness Workshops,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 15:
Iss.
4, Article 19.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol15/iss4/19