Psychological determinants of sports participation among athletes of tertiary institutions in Ebonyi state

Ben Ngozi Ohuruogu 1, Frank Edwin Nwani 1, Patricia Chinma Ngwakwe 1, Orj Scholastica Amuche 1, David Ifeanyi Nwigiji 1, Benjamin Nkwede 1, Raphael Ogbonna Nwodeh 2, Ngozi Onuenyim 2 and Christian Okechukwu Aleke 1, *

1 Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
2 Department of Physical and Health Education, Ebonyi State University College of Education Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 16(01), 011–017
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2022.16.1.0897
 
Publication history: 
Received on 02 August 2022; revised on 27 September 2022; accepted on 30 September 2022
 
Abstract: 
Background: The performances of athletes in Ebonyi State tertiary institutions were observed to be low. Therefore, the present study explored the psychological determinants of sports participation among athletes of tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State.
Methods: This was an institutional based cross-sectional study conducted among 481 students drawn from Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ikwo, and Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Two research questions and two hypotheses were used to guide the study. Mean scores and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses.
Results: The findings shows that fear of injury and anxiety was a determinant of sports participation in tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State. It was also found that there was significant difference in the mean response of male and female athletes on the sports participation. This finding implies that sports participation of athletes was determined by psychological determinant.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made, that, government and its agencies should provide adequate infrastructural facilities required for athletes in order to improve athlete’s participation and increase sport development in the country. Also, the school management in collaboration with the host communities should ensure conducive environment for athletes. 
 
Keywords: 
Sports Participation; Psychological Determinants; Athletes; Tertiary Institutions; Ebonyi State
 
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Copyright information: 
Copyright © 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0

 

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