The effect of physical activities on personal characteristics in maladjusted boys aged between 11-18

In this research, it was aimed to examine the effects of participation in sports activities on the development of social competence in boys aged 11-18 who are serving in child support centers. A total of 141 boys aged between 11 and 18 taking part in 5 different Child Support Centers of Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Policy participated in the research voluntarily. Participants were divided into two groups: an experiment (71 children) and a control group (70 children). Participants in the experiment group were involved in physical education and sports activities for 6 months, 3 days a week and 1.5 hours a day. In this process, the participants in the control group were not involved in any sports activities, but continued their course curriculum at school. Hacettepe Personality Inventory (HPI) was used in determining the social adjustment and personality characteristics of the boys participating in the study. In the statistical analysis of the data obtained in the study, Repeated Measurements ANOVA analysis was used in the SPSS 22.0 data analysis program. At the end of the study, the boys in the experiment group compared to the boys in the control group showed statistically significant increase in scores of social adjustment and personality characteristics subscales of self-actualization, emotional stability, relations with family, social relations, social norms, antisocial tendencies, personal adjustment, social adjustment and general adjustment (p <0.05). On the other hand, it was determined that the scores of the boys in the experimental and control groups from the pre-test and post-test Neurotic Tendencies and Psychotic Symptoms subscales did not show statistically significant difference (p> 0.05). The results of the study indicated that participation in sports activities has a meaningful effect on the development in social adjustment levels and personality characteristics of children who are educated in child support centers. According to the literature search, the data obtained in the research are considerably in parallel with the literature. In this context, it can be said that it is beneficial to participate in sports activities in the development of the social characteristics and personality characteristics of the children who are in a problematic or disadvantaged position in social terms. Keywords: Sports, Personality Characteristics, Social Adjustment, Social Development