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Athlete Mental Reliability Scale (PNS-40)

Athlete Mental Reliability Scale (PNS-40) Test

Understand how well you stay focused, calm, and ready under pressure in just 8 minutes. Get clear insight into your strengths and stress triggers so training can target what matters most.

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Questions: 408 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

28,266 views

2,694 completions

2,178 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

4/8

External Significance (ES)

Measures how strongly an athlete’s stress response is influenced by external circumstances and outside evaluation.

Internally guided

Balanced focus

Externally dependent

0 – 2: Internally guided | 3 – 5: Balanced focus | 6 – 8: Externally dependent

A score of 4 indicates a balanced focus where external factors matter but typically do not dominate coping in high-pressure situations.

example score

2/8

Internal Significance (IS)

Measures how strongly an athlete assigns importance to internal feelings and self-reflection when under competitive stress.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 2: Low | 3 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 8: High

A score of 2 indicates a low tendency to focus on internal emotions and self-analysis during stressful situations, with attention more likely oriented to external cues and actions.

example score

5/8

External Uncertainty (EU)

Measures how strongly an athlete feels challenged by uncertainty stemming from external conditions and changes.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 2: Low | 3 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 8: High

A score of 5 indicates a moderate sensitivity to external uncertainty, suggesting occasional difficulty staying steady when conditions change unexpectedly.

example score

3/8

Internal Uncertainty (IU)

This scale measures how much internal uncertainty an athlete experiences under competitive stress, reflecting confidence in goals and abilities.

Low uncertainty

Moderate uncertainty

High uncertainty

0 – 2: Low uncertainty | 3 – 5: Moderate uncertainty | 6 – 8: High uncertainty

A score of 3 indicates moderate internal uncertainty, suggesting occasional doubts in high-pressure moments while generally maintaining direction and self-trust.

example score

7/32

Sensitivity to Stressors (StS)

This scale measures how strongly an athlete tends to react to and be affected by competition-related stressors.

Low sensitivity

Moderate sensitivity

High sensitivity

0 – 7: Low sensitivity | 8 – 12: Moderate sensitivity | 13 – 32: High sensitivity

A score of 7 indicates low sensitivity to stress factors, suggesting relatively stable adaptation under competitive pressure.

example score

-4/3

Stability and Distraction Resistance (SaDR)

Assesses resilience to distractions and the stability of an athlete’s functional state under pressure.

Low stability

Moderate stability

High stability

-6 – -1: Low stability | 0 – 2: Moderate stability | 3: High stability

A score of -4 indicates low noise immunity, suggesting concentration and performance may be more easily disrupted by internal or external distractions.

example score

-2/7

Motivational-Energy Component (MEC)

Measures the athlete’s motivation and available energy to sustain effort and pursue competitive goals under pressure.

Low drive/energy

High drive/energy

-10 – -1: Low drive/energy | 0 – 7: High drive/energy

A score of -2 falls in the low drive/energy range, suggesting currently reduced motivation or limited energy to push for maximal effort.

example score

-2/6

Self-Regulation (SR)

Assesses how well an athlete can recognize and regulate their emotional state and behavior under pressure.

Low

Moderate–High

-10 – -1: Low | 0 – 6: Moderate–High

A score of -2 falls in the Low range, suggesting self-regulation may be less consistent in stressful competitive situations.

example score

0/5

Competitive Emotional Stability (CES)

Measures how well an athlete maintains emotional balance and control under competitive stress.

Low resilience

Moderate resilience

High resilience

-12 – -1: Low resilience | 0: Moderate resilience | 1 – 5: High resilience

A score of 0 indicates moderate emotional resilience, suggesting generally stable emotional control in competition with occasional susceptibility to emotional fluctuations.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Competitive athletes under pressure

41%OF USERS

Athletes preparing for important competitions who want to understand how they handle stress, stay focused, and recover after mistakes.

Coaches and trainers

34%OF USERS

Coaches who assess mental toughness to tailor training, communication, and pre-competition routines to each athlete.

Sports psychologists and staff

25%OF USERS

Performance and medical support staff who screen stress triggers and emotional control to plan targeted mental skills work.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

external significance (es)

Average

5.9

Normal range

4.7 — 7.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

inner significance (is)

Average

3.4

Normal range

2.3 — 4.5

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

external uncertainty (eu)

Average

5.8

Normal range

4.8 — 6.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

internal uncertainty (iu)

Average

2.8

Normal range

1.5 — 4.2

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Sensitivity to Stress Factors (StSF)

Average

9.8

Normal range

4.5 — 15.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Stability - Noise Immunity (S-NI)

Average

-0.5

Normal range

-1.9 — 0.9

min.

-6

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Motivational-Energetic Component (MC)

Average

-5.6

Normal range

-8 — -3.3

min.

-10

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Self-regulation (S)

Average

-1

Normal range

-3.1 — 1.1

min.

-10

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Competitive Emotional Resilience (CER)

Average

-3.5

Normal range

-6.3 — -0.7

min.

-12

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures mental resilience under competitive stress, including concentration, emotional regulation, and readiness for unexpected events.

How long does it take to complete and how many items are included?

Completion time is about 8 minutes. It contains 40 items.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best matches typical reactions in training or competition. Answer all items without spending too much time on any single question.

What do the results provide?

Results indicate strengths and vulnerable areas in key mental mechanisms under pressure. They can guide targeted mental skills training and preparation strategies.

Is this questionnaire used for diagnosis or selection decisions?

It is not a diagnostic tool and does not determine eligibility or clinical status. Scores should be interpreted in context, preferably alongside other information.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Mental Resilience of an Athlete, PNS-40 Test

Athlete Mental Reliability Scale (PNS-40) Test - Symptoms and Signs

sport

This measure assesses psychological functioning relevant to performance under competitive stress. The Athlete Mental Reliability Scale (PNS-40) is designed to characterize an athlete’s typical responses to pressure, with emphasis on stability of attention, emotional regulation, and coping.

It is a self-report questionnaire with 40 items and takes about 8 minutes to complete. Albert Bandura is cited as the author.

Results are generally interpreted as indicators of mental reliability and potential areas of vulnerability that may affect performance in high-stakes situations. The Athlete Mental Reliability Scale (PNS-40) may be used to inform individualized psychological skills work and to support training or pre-competition planning.

Author: Albert Bandura

Literature: Tenenbaum, G., & Eklund, R. C. Handbook of sport psychology. Wiley. 2007.; Smith, R. E., Smoll, F. L., & Schutz, R. W. Measurement and correlates of sport-specific cognitive and somatic trait anxiety: The Sport Anxiety Scale. Anxiety Research. 1990.

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