Mental toughness (MT), anxiety, and sport imagery (SI) are characteristics that are effective in the ups and downs of athletes’ lives. The fact that these three characteristics, which have a direct effect on the performance of athletes (especially elite athletes), have not been examined by structural equation modeling in the literature to the best of our knowledge has led to the need for this study. The present study investigates the relationship between MT, anxiety levels, and SI skills among elite athletes in the 19–26 age group. A total of 407 elite athletes (143 females and 264 males) actively competing participated in the study, which was conducted within the framework of a correlational research model. Data were collected using the Mental Toughness Scale (MTS), the Sports Imagery Inventory (SII) and Anxiety subscale of the Emotion in Sport Scale (ESS). The theoretical model proposed to examine the effects of MT on SI and anxiety was tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). It was found that the fit indices of the model established in the study gave a good fit, and the coefficients obtained were statistically significant (p <.05). The study revealed that athletes with higher MT had lower levels of anxiety and anxiety had a negative effect on SI skills (p <.05). Moreover, athletes with higher MT show high levels of SI abilities (p <.05). The present study suggests that training programs aimed at improving SI skills may also contribute to the development of MT.

To develop successful training methods, effective acquisition of motor skills in swimming is essential. Emerging technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, offer innovative ways to enhance learning and performance in this area. This study investigates the influence of video modeling (VM) supported by virtual reality (VR) on the swimming performance of novice swimmers compared to conventional training methods. A total of 55 university students participated in the study, divided into two groups: the VR-supported VM group (VRVM) (n = 28) and the traditional swimming group (TSG) (n = 27). While the VRVM group performed VR-supported VM exercises alongside conventional swimming training, the TSG group received only traditional swimming instruction. Performance indicators assessed in the study included distance per stroke (DpS), crawl kick (CK), swimming duration (SwD), heart rate (HR), and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Both groups received 40-minute weekly swimming sessions over 11 weeks, while the VRVM group also completed 30-minute VR training prior to each session. The results showed that VR-supported VM training significantly improved novice swimmers’ DpS, CK, SwD, and RPE. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential benefits of integrating VR-supported VM techniques into swimming training programs, providing a more effective approach to skill acquisition and performance improvement. Trial Registration ID: NCT06868706, Registered Date: 10/03/2025, retrospectively registered.

Bu araştırma, beden eğitimi ve spor bölümlerinde okuyan engelli öğrencilerin bölümlerine uyumlarını ve beklentilerini tespit etmeye yöneliktir. Nicel ve nitel yaklaşımların bir arada kullanıldığı, karma yaklaşım desenlerinden Açımlayıcı Sıralı Desen ile kurgulanan araştırma, 2015-2016 Eğitim-Öğretim yılında Türkiye genelindeki 21 üniversitenin Beden eğitimi ve spor bölümlerinde öğrenim gören tüm engelli öğrencilerin katılımıyla gerçekleşmiştir. Araştırmanın nicel bölümüne, 27’si görme engelli, 9’u işitme engelli, 38 ‘i bedensel engelli olmak üzere 71 öğrenci katılmıştır. Nitel bölümde ise, 4 görme, 3 işitme ve 4 bedensel engelli olmak üzere toplam 11 öğrenci katılmıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak “Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bölümlerinde Okuyan Engelli Öğrencilerin Uyum Ölçeği’’ ve “Yarı Yapılandırılmış Görüşme Formu” kullanılmıştır. Görme engelli ve bedensel engelli katılımcılar fiziksel alanların düzenlenmesi, uygulamalı derslerdeki sorunları ön plana çıkarken, işitme engelli katılımcıların kuramsal derslerde sorun yaşadıkları tespit edilmiştir. Öğretim elemanlarının derslerde kendilerine daha fazla zaman ayırması gibi ortak beklentilerinin olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Araştırmada, beden eğitimi dersine katılım motivasyonu düzeyi ile beden eğitimi dersine katılımdaki engellerin tespit edilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Karma modelin kullanıldığı araştırmaya, beden eğitimi dersine katılımına engel teşkil eden en az bir gerekçesi olan, 13 ile 19 yaş grubundaki 275 birey katılmıştır. Araştırmada Beden Eğitimi Dersine Katılım Motivasyonu Ölçeği ile açık uçlu soruların yer aldığı yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Nicel verilerin analizinde t-testi, nitel verilerin analizinde ise içerik analizinden yararlanılmıştır. İçsel, dışsal motivasyon ve motivasyonsuzluk alt boyutlarının puan ortalamasının orta düzeyde olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Araştırmada erkeklerin içsel, dışsal motivasyon ve motivasyonsuzluk puan ortalamalarının kızlarınkinden anlamlı düzeyde yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır. Ayrıca katılımcıların beden eğitimi dersine katılımda engel olarak belirttiği nedenler üç tema altında toplanmıştır. Bunlar, beden eğitimi öğretmeninden kaynaklı engeller, bireyin kendinden kaynaklı engeller ve çevreden kaynaklı engellerdir. Araştırmada en dikkat çeken sonuçlar, kızların beden eğitimi dersine katılım motivasyonlarının erkeklere kıyasla daha düşük olması, beden eğitimi öğretmeninin dersi işlememesi, öğrencilerin öğretmenden korkması, beden eğitimi dersine katılıma kilolu veya zayıf olma durumunun engel olarak görülmesi ve akran zorbalığının derse katılımda engelleyici unsur olarak görülmesidir.

The aim of this study was to determine whether mental toughness levels of athletes engaged in the elite-level team and individual sports in Ankara and Erzurum were predictors of moral disengagement in sports. The sample of the study consisted of randomly-selected 515 athletes who were actively engaged in sports in their clubs in 2017. The “Moral Disengagement in Sport Scale-Short” (MDSS) developed by Boardley and Kavussanu (2008) and adapted to Turkish by Gülpınar (2015), and the “Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire” (SMTQ) developed by Sheard et al. (2009) and adapted to Turkish by Pehlivan (2014) were used as data collection tools. In the analysis of the data, frequency, percentage, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient and linear regression analysis were utilized. As a result of the analyzes, no significant difference was found between confidence, one of the sub-scales of the SMTQ, and moral disengagement, but there was a weak positive significant relationship between the constancy and control sub-scales. As a result of the linear regression analysis, it was found that moral disengagement predicted the constancy and control sub-scales significantly and explained 4% and 3% of the variance, respectively, but it was found that the confidence sub-scale was not predicted significantly.

It is seen that education systems all over the world have basic sciences, arts and sports courses within each structure. The importance of sports classes is increasing day by day in today's world where sedentary lifestyle increases with the age of digitalization. Physical education and sports lessons are important in order to meet the exercise needs of children who have the ability but are not able to do professional sports. When we study the historical development of physical education and sports in Turkey, we can say that it is mostly influenced by the German education system and educators after the 1920s. German gymnasts worked as physical education and sports teachers in the Ministry of Education. In short, physical education and sports education and its curriculum in the Turkish education system have been influenced by the German education system for years. The aim of this study is to examine the physical education and sports courses in Turkish and German current education systems. As a result of the research, it is seen that although Turkish-German education systems are very different from each other, there is one or more weekly lessons per class in physical education and sports curricula. It is seen that the biggest difference is in primary education. The course carried out with the name of physical education and games in the primary schools in Turkey is carried out 5 hours a week in the grades 1-3 and 2 hours a week in the 4th grade. While the average class hour of 4 years is 17 in Turkey, this number is 11 hours in Germany.