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To answer the original question, I believe aikido provides the opportunity for the practitioner to train their mind. It is a matter of self guidance.
As for myself, I took almost 2 years off from sparring to train in strength and aikido. Now that I have returned to it, eventhough I did not train for sparring specifically, I see vast improvenments in my ability to see my partner's openings, to remain calm under pressure or pain, and to see what is really going on and let my movement come naturally. My tools are much more useful, now that my mind has caught up to my body a bit. Also, I can honestly evaluate my flaws, since I am no longer concerned with winning but rather learning, experimenting, and having fun.
As for actual attacks off the mat, it has been a long time. I've had them and never been hurt, but I see no guarantees. If I think about it, it is on the mat (especially in my journies through kung fu and kickboxing) that I have received the most injuries and had the toughest fights. I am aware of the trap that one can fall into if they contantly struggle to aquire techniques that guarantee their safety on the street. There are many things that can help, but the danger of obsessing over the direct (rather than abstract) practical application of each technique or exercise you perform can lead you away from from what I consider to be the big picture of unity of mind, body, and spirit. Or it could save your life.
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