Examination of adolescent students' free time exercise participation, self-efficacy and happiness levels

The aim of this study is to investigate the leisure time exercise participation, self-efficacy and happiness levels of adolescent students. For this purpose, the leisure time exercise participation, self-efficacy and happiness levels of the students were examined in terms of gender, school type and grade variables. 1182 students, 695 female and 487 male, participated in the study voluntarily. The data of the study were collected using the personal information form, Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LEQU), Children's Self-Efficacy Scale, Adolescent Happiness Scale. Descriptive analyzes, independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis were used to evaluate the data. As a result of the analyses, it was determined that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between the levels of leisure exercise participation of the students participating in the study and all sub-dimensions of the self-efficacy scale and happiness levels (p<0.01). While a significant difference was found between the gender variable and leisure exercise level, general, social, emotional self-efficacy levels and happiness levels (p<0.01), no significant difference was found between academic self-efficacy (p>0.05). It was determined that there was a significant difference between the students' school type variable and leisure exercise levels, general, social, emotional self-efficacy levels (p>0.01) and academic self-efficacy (p>0.05); and between their classes and leisure exercise levels (p<0.01). As a result, it can be said that as the students' level of participation in free time exercise increases, their self-efficacy and happiness levels also increase. In addition; in terms of free time exercise level, it is seen that male students have higher free time exercise participation levels than female students; Anatolian Imam Hatip High School students have higher free time exercise participation levels than other high school students; 9th grade students have higher free time exercise participation levels than 10th and 11th grade students. In addition to these results, it is seen that male students' general social and emotional self-efficacy levels and happiness levels are higher than female students, and Science High School students' self-efficacy levels are higher than other high school students in all sub-dimensions. According to the findings obtained, in order to increase students' self-efficacy and happiness levels, it is recommended that sportive activity and exercise environments be created for students in educational institutions, appropriate sportive activities should be organized and students' participation in these activities should be encouraged.