Supervisors info:
Κουτσούκη Δ., Καθηγήτρια, ΤΕΦΑΑ, ΕΚΠΑ
Ψυχουντάκη Μ., Λέκτορας, ΤΕΦΑΑ, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The purpose of this study is to examine trait psychological characteristics of the elite men and women athletes with a physical disability in Greece, experienced in every day situations and also in sports.
A total of 97 elite athletes with physical disabilities from all over Greece and all competitive sports participated in the study. These athletes were characterized as elite because of their experience in international competitions. To collect the data, six self-reference scales were given (greek edition), as follows: α) Trait characteristics in every day situations: 1) Profile of Mood States, 2) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (trait version), 3) Social Desirability Scale, β) Trait characteristics in sport situations: 1) Sport Competition Anxiety Test, 2) Trait Sport Confidence Inventory, 3) Task and Ego Orientation for Sport Questionnaire. A self-constructed demographics questionnaire was also used, to collect information about: sex, age, sport, inhabitation, disability, competitive experience and training practices. According to the results, the most important variables for the differentiation of trait psychological characteristics of the Greek elite athletes were gender, disability and training practices, in and out of sports fields. Similar to elite athletes of other countries, Greek athletes exhibited the “Iceberg Profile”. Trait anxiety and trait sport anxiety are medium. Contrary to that, athletes have high trait sport confidence. As for the sport orientation, Greek elite athletes are mostly Task oriented. Characteristics that express positive feelings, coming from every day or sport situations, are positively correlated with each other. Similarly, characteristics that express negative feelings, are also positively correlated with each other.
Conclusively, the results of this study comply with similar results from international studies. The evidence reveal the need for consequent study of state psychological characteristics, leading to the combination of trait and state characteristics, in a model which can predict the απόδοσης of the Greek athleteς with physical disabilities. Current study states the need of conducting διαχρονικής studies of the επίδρασης of the disability in specific social situations, which can επίδρασης in the athletic carrier of people with physical disabilities in Greece.
