Abstract

The aim of the present study was to describe/explain differences in the psychological skills of the British (N=17) and Hungarian (N=16) female gymnasts. Members of both groups who had been preparing for the London Olympic Games were selected to participate in our study. The behavior strategy of female gymnasts was measured with the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) instrument. The questionnaire was applied to Hungarian and British participants. Test-retest reliability was between 0.61 and 0.89. Cronbach�s alpha values were between 0.74 and 0.93 during the practice period in Hungarian group. Test-retest values measured during the competition period were between 0.63 and 0.87, while the alpha values ranged from 0.73 to 0.88 also in Hungarian. Differences were hypothesized in the psychological skills between the two samples of gymnasts. The hypotheses were partially confirmed. Results suggest that gymnast groups attain their goals related to sport performance through different behavioral strategies.