Investigating the attitude of the medalist para-athletes towards the use of sports psychology services - a case study of Razavi Khorasan Province
Oral Presentation
Paper ID : 1842-SSRC
Authors
1دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد اراک
2sport science Imam Reza International university Mashhad Iran
3دانشگاه مازندران
4دانشجو
Abstract
Background:
The identified dimensions (cognitive, behavioral, and emotional/motivational) of utilizing sports psychology services, by providing assistance to both able-bodied and disabled athletes, whether professional or amateur, male or female, of various ages, and across levels from recreational sports to national, global, Olympic, and Paralympic competitions, are noticeably progressing and expanding. The wide-ranging effectiveness of psychological interventions in individuals with disabilities (Para-athletes), participating in inclusive sports, competitive events, and championships, creates a smooth path for their physical and mental adaptation to new life conditions.
Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the attitudes of Paralympic medalists from Khorasan towards the use of psychological sports services.
Methods & Materials: A total of 35 Paralympic medalists from Khorasan Razavi, including 19 males and 16 females, aged between 15 and 63 years, completed a 25-item questionnaire on their psychological attitude towards sports (Harrison, SPAQ), which included three subscales: confidence in sports psychology (11 items), Stigma Tolerance (6 items), and preference for similarity (8 items). Participants also completed a demographic questionnaire. A purposive (judgmental) sampling method was used.
Results: Hypothesis testing using statistical tests showed no significant differences in the attitudes towards the use of sports psychology services among the Paralympic athletes in terms of gender, previous experience with sports psychology, individual and team sports, and contact and non-contact sports, across all three subscales. The reliability (α) of SPAQ total score and the two subscales of confidence and preference were 0.61, 0.62, and 0.66, respectively.
Conclusions: Based on this survey, the participants considered it valuable for themselves and then willing to use the services of a sports psychologist. Before the SPAQ can be introduced as a reliable tool for measuring the attitudes of Iranian athletes, further development of questions and rewriting of the current items is needed.
The identified dimensions (cognitive, behavioral, and emotional/motivational) of utilizing sports psychology services, by providing assistance to both able-bodied and disabled athletes, whether professional or amateur, male or female, of various ages, and across levels from recreational sports to national, global, Olympic, and Paralympic competitions, are noticeably progressing and expanding. The wide-ranging effectiveness of psychological interventions in individuals with disabilities (Para-athletes), participating in inclusive sports, competitive events, and championships, creates a smooth path for their physical and mental adaptation to new life conditions.
Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the attitudes of Paralympic medalists from Khorasan towards the use of psychological sports services.
Methods & Materials: A total of 35 Paralympic medalists from Khorasan Razavi, including 19 males and 16 females, aged between 15 and 63 years, completed a 25-item questionnaire on their psychological attitude towards sports (Harrison, SPAQ), which included three subscales: confidence in sports psychology (11 items), Stigma Tolerance (6 items), and preference for similarity (8 items). Participants also completed a demographic questionnaire. A purposive (judgmental) sampling method was used.
Results: Hypothesis testing using statistical tests showed no significant differences in the attitudes towards the use of sports psychology services among the Paralympic athletes in terms of gender, previous experience with sports psychology, individual and team sports, and contact and non-contact sports, across all three subscales. The reliability (α) of SPAQ total score and the two subscales of confidence and preference were 0.61, 0.62, and 0.66, respectively.
Conclusions: Based on this survey, the participants considered it valuable for themselves and then willing to use the services of a sports psychologist. Before the SPAQ can be introduced as a reliable tool for measuring the attitudes of Iranian athletes, further development of questions and rewriting of the current items is needed.
Keywords