İlhan, A., Gümüşdağ, H. (2022). An investigation of psychological well-being of primary school athlete students. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET), 9(4). 1672-1678. Received : 04.06.2022 Revised version received : 26.08.2022 Accepted : 28.08.2022 AN INVESTIGATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF PRIMARY SCHOOL ATHLETE STUDENTS Research article Corresponding author Aydin İlhan https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-9717-2746 Pamukkale University, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Denizli, Turkey aydinilhan@pau.edu.tr Hayrettin Gümüşdağ https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-1616-8671 Yozgat Bozok University, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Yozgat, Turkey hayrettin.gumusdag@bozok.edu.tr Biodata(s): Dr. İlhan is a graduate of METU, Education Faculty, Physical Education and Sports Department, Ankara University, Physical Education and Sports Master's Degree and Phd, İzmir Ege University Health Sciences, Physical Education and Sports Department. Provides tennis branch training. Dr. Gumusdag is a graduate of METU, Education Faculty, Physical Education and Sports Department, METU, Physical Education and Sports Master's Degree and Phd, Gazi University Health Sciences, Physical Education and Sports Department. Provides football branch training. Copyright © 2014 by International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET). ISSN: 2148-225X. Material published and so copyrighted may not be published elsewhere without written permission of IOJET. https://orcid.org/ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1544-4128 mailto:aydinilhan@pau.edu.tr https://orcid.org/ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1544-4128 mailto:hayrettin.gumusdag@bozok.edu.tr International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2022, 9(4), 1672-1678. 1673 AN INVESTIGATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF PRIMARY SCHOOL ATHLETE STUDENTS Aydin İlhan aydinilhan@pau.edu.tr Hayrettin Gümüşdağ hayrettin.gumusdag@bozok.edu.tr Abstract A sport is a branch of science that improves and affects people physically, as well as increases the quality and quality of their behavior psychologically. Good peer relations and social environment at school are also effective in the student's sports success. School has an important place in the life of every athlete in terms of features such as the discovery, development, and upbringing of children. Talented athletes with a sports culture will emerge with the cooperation of a family who guides the student correctly and a teacher who acts in accordance with the development of the student. The aim of this research is to examine the psychological well-being of the athlete students who continue their primary school education. The study group of the research consists of 11 men and 4 women, totally 15 primary school students and athletes. The research was conducted with the qualitative study method. The data collection method was carried out using a semi-structured interview form. In the study, 4-item questions prepared by the researchers were used. The questions were asked to the participants face-to-face in the form of semi-structured interviews. All the interviews were recorded with a voice recorder, informing the participants, and then transcribed. In the analysis of the data, the ideas obtained with the semi-structured interview form were evaluated with the inductive method. As a result of the research, when we look at the psychological well-being of primary school athletes, it is seen that environmental factors are more determinant besides the performance results of the athletes. It is seen that the psychological states of the athletes, family structure, parental attitudes and the effects of sisters and siblings are at the forefront. Keywords: Psychological Well-being, Primary School Student, Sport 1. Introduction Living conditions, technology and conveniences brought about by modernization, are making people less active on a daily basis. These changes, affect the health status of the people as the level of physical activity gradually decreases and consequently different health problems may occur. Regular exercise is the most effective method of protection from diseases (Egesoy et al., 2021). Sport is a word we hear frequently in our daily life. As is known, the basic sign of vitality has been movement and an important part of the education of the human body is provided by movement (Alpman, 1972). According to today's understanding, sport is a very important mass education tool at first. Sports is a new branch of science that not only develops the human body with its physical aspect, but also determines the human level, ego, behavioral quality and psychic structure through games, movements and competitions (Guven, 2006). In order to gain the habits which are practicing a sport discipline, healthy life style personality and self-satisfied human being, the sport should be lectured and made in early childhood age during the preschools. In this study the physical education and sport lectures mailto:aydinilhan@pau.edu.tr mailto:hayrettin.gumusdag@bozok.edu.tr İlhan& Gümüşdağ 1674 the pre-schools education is analyzed. The effect of the formation on the practicing of the sport and the by the regular way is also investigated (Korkmaz & Erol, 2010). Childhood is one of the periods when sports are most effective in human development. The childhood process has begun to be perceived as a different and special part of life, especially since the 18th century. In the 19th century, educators and moralists argued that if children were given the opportunity to express themselves, they would grow up in a healthy way and that they could have social responsibility in their behavior and argued that child development and behavior should be directed (Muratli, 1997). Motor skills are considered important for children's physical, social, and psychological development. Pre-school age seems to be decisive for the development of motor skills. Our study's aim was to investigate the effect of 12 weeks game education on the motor development of pre-school children aged 4 to 6 years (Gümüşdağ, 2019). The preschool period, which covers the 0-6 age period, is the most intense period of human development in terms of scope, speed and quality. In the process starting from birth, it provides features that are extremely important and future determining in terms of healthy physical, cognitive, emotional and social development (Erol, 2022). In addition to earning an income in economic terms, individuals also gain psychological gains such as happiness, success, recognition, appreciation, and proving themselves (Kalleberg & Loscocco, 1983). The concept of psychological well-being, which can be expressed as maintaining meaningful goals in life, personal development, and establishing quality relationships with others (Keyes, Shmotkin, & Ryff, 2002), is a combination of theories examining the characteristics of the individual with a positive function (Ozen, 2010). It contains important findings that will create results. Psychological well-being should not be thought of only as the absence of any mental disorder. It should be considered as positive factors such as enjoying life, happiness and meeting needs as factors that will be conducive to psychological well-being. As a matter of fact, in the studies conducted in the last ten years, it is predicted that a high level of psychological well-being will have a positive effect on individual performance (Polatci, 2011). It is emphasized that psychological well-being should be based on the examination of the individual's reactions to the conditions that arise from the situations he encounters. As a matter of fact, an individual can do things that others cannot do even though they have more suitable conditions, by reaching the necessary motivation thanks to their individual characteristics, in which case the personality traits that affect their self-perceptions should be evaluated (Diener, 1984; Veenhoven, 1988). Schools are the second socialization institutions after the family. The unique socio-cultural characteristics of the school are as effective on the student's success in sports as they are in school (Kilcigil, 1998). Schools are both education centers and places where same age groups come together. For this reason, our schools are a wide-ranging resource for physical education. Because the growth periods of our children and young people in secondary education coincide with school age. In these periods when body development accelerates, it is important to gain resistance, agility and some habits with sports (Karasuleymanoglu, 1995). It is important for the future of our sport to develop children's basic education skills and to identify and train successful athletes. In this, families should believe in all the benefits of International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2022, 9(4), 1672-1678. 1675 sports and give importance to school-family cooperation. In short, it is necessary for families to have a sports culture to educate their children on this subject. Families with sufficient knowledge will encourage and support their children to do sports in the healthiest way (Herguner, 1991). 2. Method 2.1 Research Model This study, which was made to understand the psychological well-being of primary school athlete students, was applied with the qualitative study method. In the study, semi-structured interview form, which is one of the data collection methods, was used. 2.2 Research Group The research group, while the universe of this study consists of all sportsmen who continue their primary school education in Kirsehir, the sample group consists of 11 male and 4 female total 15 primary school student athletes who continue their education in Private Bil College in Kirsehir. 2.3 Data Collection In the study, 4-item questions prepared by the researchers were used. The questions were asked to the participants face-to-face in the form of semi-structured interviews. While asking questions to the participants, care was taken not to go beyond the prepared questions. All the interviews were recorded with a voice recorder, informing the participants, and then transcribed. The question-answer period between researchers and participants is 10-15 minutes for each participant. and a suitable environment was created for the participants to easily answer the questions. 2.4 Data Analysis In the study, the ideas obtained with the semi-structured interview form were evaluated with the inductive method. The answers given by the participants to the questions prepared by the researchers were recorded on the voice recorder and added to the study as it was. The answers received from 15 different participants for each question were evaluated by the researchers. 3. Findings In this part of the study, the views of the participant individuals who did sports while continuing their primary school education were expressed as they were. The relations between the variables were tested and the effects of the variables of emotional intelligence, gender and participation in sports in the school team on peer relations were examined. The 4- item questions prepared by the researchers. 3.1. What is the reason for choosing this sport? K1 "I'm a teacher, the reason I chose swimming is because I like fish very much, so I chose swimming because I like swimming in water like fish." K2 "My teacher, I will be a swimmer İlhan& Gümüşdağ 1676 when I grow up, that's why I chose it. My "K3" teacher, I love water, so I chose it. "K4" teacher, I chose basketball because I wanted my height to grow faster. I chose it because it was easy for me to play. My "K7" teacher, I like gymnastics to be able to stretch better. My "K8" teacher, I will be a swimmer when I grow up, so I chose it. My "K9" teacher, I choose gymnastics to do somersaults better. "K10" teacher, I want to swim like a frog, so I chose it. I chose basketball because I fell in love with my "K11" basketball teacher. My "K12" teacher, I chose it because my mother thought I would be successful in gymnastics. “K13” My teacher goes away swimming when we go on vacation, and I like it because I want to be like him. My "K14" teacher, an older sister, was doing some very nice somersaults on TV, so I chose it because I wanted to be like her. My "K15" teacher, I chose it because I wanted to climb walls like spider man and do somersaults. 3.2. Do you feel successful in your chosen branch? K1 “My teacher says I am good. I am successful because I won the first place in the "K2" Junior a category. "K3" I am successful because I can swim freestyle. '' R4 '' I am successful because I can score a goal in the rim. '' K5 '' I am successful because I can bounce the ball. '' K6 '' I am good at basketball because I am good in every branch '' K7 '' I am successful because I can open zero legs. '' '' K8 '' I am successful because I can swim 2 styles '' K9 '' ' I think I am not successful.'' K10 ''I am successful because I can stand on the water'' K11''' Because I am very successful'' K12'' I am successful because I can do without my teacher's help.'' K13 ''I am successful because I can jump in the water'' K14'' My teacher says I am successful '' K15 '' I am successful because I can do somersaults. 3.3. How do you feel while exercising? "K1""I feel wet teacher. "K2" I feel like a frog. "K3" I feel like a fish out of water. "K4"I feel taller. "K5" I feel like I can run faster. "K6" I feel like I can jump better. "K7" I feel like I can stretch better. "K8" I feel like I'm getting stronger. "K9" I feel like I can somersault better. "K10" I feel very tired teacher. "K11" I feel so sweaty teacher. "K12" I feel very happy teacher. "K13" I feel like I'm suffocating, teacher. I feel like my "K14" body is like rubber, teacher. "K15" I feel like my mother is in love with my teacher. 3.4. What Is Your Goal in This Branch? "K1" I want to be a good swimmer, teacher. "K2" I want to be able to surpass my father in swimming. I choose to be a "K3" swimming teacher. “K4“Being better than my friend Ahmet. I want to win the favor of my "K5" teacher. Being a "K6" national basketball player. "K7" My goal is to make my body flexible enough. To pass Ceren teacher in "K8" swimming. "K9, "If I get in my father's eyes, it's enough for me." I want to win the favor of my "K10" teacher. Being able to bounce the ball "K11", being flexible like the "K12" older sister. To be able to swim the “K13” 25 m without holding the sides. Being able to participate in "K14" competitions. Being able to do a "K15" serial somersault. 4. Conclusion and Discussion As a result of the research, when we look at the psychological well-being of primary school athletes, it is seen that environmental factors are more determinant besides the performance results of the athletes. It is seen that the psychological states of the athletes, family structure, parental attitudes and the effects of sisters and siblings are at the forefront. Then, it is seen International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2022, 9(4), 1672-1678. 1677 that the effects of the trainers on the branches of the athletes are intense. Coaching part of primary school level athletes is mostly seen. Due to the small age group, it is thought that the coaches should be in a motherly structure. Since the athletes see their coaches as members of their families, the coach has a great share in regulating their psychological well-being. It is thought that the psychological levels of primary school students are more imaginative than real life, which greatly affects the students. It is seen that the athletes, who are affected by the coldness of the cartoons they watch, approach sports branches in this way in their general lives. İlhan& Gümüşdağ 1678 References Alpman C. (1972). Physical Education in the Integrity of Education and Its Development Through the Ages. AUSBF Publications: Istanbul. Diener, E. (1984). Subjective wellbeing. Psychological Bulletin, 95 (3), 542-575. Egesoy, H., Gümüşdağ, H., Ünver, F. & Çelik. E. (2021). Physical Activity and Wellness. J Int Anatolia Sport Sci . 2021; 6(1): 1-8 Erol, S. (2022). An Investigation of the Basic Gymnastics Program in Preschool Children in Terms of Motor Development. Pakistan Journal of Medical & Health Sciences, 16 (2), 438-441. https://doi.org/10.53350/pjmhs22162438 Gümüşdağ, Hayrettin. Effects of Pre-school Play on Motor Development in Children. 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