Examination of Factors Preventing High School Students from Participating in Physical Activities

Abstract

In today's world, the importance of physical activity for daily life continues to increase. However, it cannot be said that the level of interest of our society in physical activity is sufficient. In the reports of organisations such as the Ministry of Health, Public Health Institution of Turkiye and Active Living Association, it has been reported that 3/4 of the population of Turkiye does not have sufficient physical activity level and the most sedentary group is the 15-19 age group. These serious rates were seen as an important justification for research on this subject. This aims to examine the differentiation status of the participants in terms of some demographic variables to determine the factors that prevented high school students from participating in physical activities. The research is a quantitative study and was carried out in a descriptive survey model. The sample of the research consisted of 376 participants from high school students who continue their education in schools under the Directorate of National Education in Kahramanmaras city centre in Turkiye. The data of the research were analysed by using the statistical software JAMOVI 2.3.16.0 package program. As a result of the research, it was found that the scores of the participants for the factors that prevented their participation in physical activities were at a moderate level. In the scale of factors that prevented high school students from participating in physical activities, statistically, significant differences were found in terms of gender, family monthly income, how many days a week they do sports, mother's interest in sports, father's interest in sports, PE teacher's attitude and friends' attitudes. As a result, in this study, high school students' concerns about the factors that prevent their participation in physical activities were determined in terms of different variables.