Evaluation of high school students' interest levels in physical education and sports courses and their attitudes towards extracurricular sports activities after the disaster

The aim of this study is to evaluate the interest levels of high school students living in the region after the disaster in physical education and sports classes and their attitudes towards extracurricular sporting activities in terms of different variables. The research is a quantitative research type, and the relational screening model was used in comparisons between scales. The research population consists of high school students in Adıyaman province who experienced the disaster of the century. The sample group consists of a total of 2445 high school students, including Sports High School, Anatolian High School, Science High School and Vocational High School in the city center of Adıyaman in the 2024-2025 academic year. The data collection tools used in the study include a personal information form, an Interest Scale in Physical Education and Sports Classes, and an Attitude Scale Towards Extracurricular Sporting Activities. SPSS 24.00 statistical package program was used in the analysis of the research data. The level of significance between variables was taken as p=0.05. The study found that high school students' interest levels in physical education and sports classes and their attitudes toward extracurricular sports activities were influenced by variables such as gender, grade level, school type, and age at sports. Significant differences were also observed based on whether they were national athletes or lost a first-degree relative in an earthquake. The study concluded that high school students' cognitive, affective, behavioral, and total attitude levels toward extracurricular sports activities, as well as their interest levels in physical education and sports classes, were high, and that there was a positive correlation between attitudes toward extracurricular sports activities and interest in physical education and sports classes.