The effect of sports movement education on motor development, social anxiety, mental harmony and quality of life in children in need of protection

Negative effects can be seen in the integration of children in need of protection into the society, in the formation of their awareness of living in the society, and in their social skills and behaviors. Therefore, physical, mental and behavioral problems may occur in children in need of protection. For this reason, it was thought that sports activities could be beneficial for children. The aim of the study is to determine the effect of sportive movement training on motor development, social anxiety, mental adaptation and quality of life in children in need of protection. A total of 40 children, aged between 10 and 11, living in Aksaray children's homes, 20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group, participated in the study. "Personal Information Form, Eurofit Test Battery, Hacettepe Mental Adaptation Scale, Renewed Form of Social Anxiety Scale for Children, Quality of Life Scale for Children" were applied to the children in the experimental and control groups participating in the research. After the pre-tests were applied, children in the experimental group were given 60 minutes of training three (3) days a week for 12 weeks in 2021. A sportive movement training study program, which consists of a period of time and was determined for the development of sportive movement skills, was applied. After the 12-week sportive movement training program, "Eurofit Test Battery, Hacettepe Mental Adaptation Scale, Social Anxiety Scale Renewed Form for Children, Quality of Life Scale for Children" were applied again as a post-test to the children in the experimental and control groups. Shapiro Wilk Test, skewness, kurtosis values and stem-leaf diagrams were used to determine whether the data met the assumption of normal distribution. Based on the findings, it was accepted that the data showed a normal distribution. Descriptive statistical analyzes for frequency, percentage, minimum and maximum values in statistical analysis of research data; Independent Sample T-test was used to compare the differences between groups, and Paired Sample T-test was used to compare the within-group differences. It was determined that there was a significant difference between the Eurofit test battery pre-test and post-test scores of the children in need of protection in the experimental group receiving sportive movement training. There was no statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest results of the control group of the study. It was determined that the social anxiety level of the children in need of protection in the experimental group receiving sportive movement training differed significantly between the pretest and posttest scores, and the posttest average was higher. It was determined that the psychological adjustment level of the children in need of protection in the experimental group receiving sportive movement training differed significantly between the pre-test and post-test scores, and the post-test average was higher. It was determined that the quality of life of the children in need of protection in the experimental group receiving sportive movement training differed significantly between the pre-test and post-test scores, and the post-test average was higher. In conclusion; It can be said that sportive movement training improves motor skills by positively affecting children in need of protection, reduces social anxiety, increases mental adjustment levels, and increases quality of life.