Examining the interest levels and sportsmanship behaviors of secondary school students towards physical education and sports lessons

The aim of this study is to examine the interest levels and sportsmanship behaviors of middle school students towards physical education and sports lessons, to determine the possible relationship between them and to determine whether these variables will change according to various demographic characteristics. The research was conducted with the screening model and face-to-face survey technique within the scope of the quantitative approach. The sample consists of a total of 454 students, 211 girls (46.5) and 243 boys (53.5) studying in four middle schools in the 2024-2025 academic year. Personal information form, Physical Education Course Interest Scale, Physical Education Course Sportsmanship Behavior Scale were used as data collection tools. Data were evaluated with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, correlation and regression analyses (p=0.05). According to the results, the participants' physical education course sportsmanship behavior; While significant differences were detected according to variables such as grade level, family income level, father's education status, desire to attend class, desire to increase class hours, desire to play with a group of friends, cooperation status and being a licensed athlete, there were no differences according to some variables. Interest in physical education class; While significant differences were detected according to variables such as grade level, father's and mother's education status, desire to attend class, desire to increase class hours, desire to play with a group of friends, cooperation status and being a licensed athlete, there were no differences according to some variables. In conclusion, sportsmanship behaviors and interest levels in physical education classes are significantly affected by factors such as gender, age, socioeconomic status, parental education level, licensed athletic experience and in-class interaction, and as students' participation and interest in this class increases, their sportsmanship attitudes also develop positively.