Development of the scale of factors motivating to start individual recreational tennis and investigation with different variables

Aim: The primary aim of this thesis was to develop the "Scale of Motivational Factors for Starting to Play Tennis (SMFSPT)", to measure its validity and reliability, and to determine the profiles of individuals who have just started to play tennis. Method: This study was a descriptive research whose population contained the individuals, aged 16 and over, playing tennis in Turkey. The sample consisted of the individuals having started to learn tennis in the clubs, academies, and municipalities that provide facilities and training in the city center of Antalya between the years 2018 and 2019. Between May 2018 and February 2019, the questionnaire which was developed for data collection was applied by face-to-face survey method by considering the fact that the individuals at the age of 16 and over played tennis for recreational purposes. As the scale was viable to Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) according to the results of Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy (KMO) and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity, the validity and reliability of the model were tested by Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and the sub-dimensions of SMFSPT were revealed. Item factor analysis was used to test the construct validity of the SMFSPT resulting from factor analysis. In order to evaluate the internal consistency of the scale, the Cronbach's Alpha coefficients were used. To evaluate the relationship between the items and factors of the scale, Pearson Correlation Test was conducted. Further, Varimax rotation was used in the model. For the analysis of the data, as well as the descriptive statistical methods, the distributions were tested by the Kolmogorov Smirnov Test and the Shapiro-Wilk Test in the SMFSPT and SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale) dimensions. Furthermore, because of the normal distribution in all of the sub-dimensions, the Independent Sample T Test, ANOVA test and, in order to determine the dimensions from which the differences resulted, the LSD test were used. The significance level set for the results were 0.01 and 0.05. Results: In order to develop the SMFSPT and measure its reliability and validity, EFA was applied to the list consisting of 51 items and the results were given in Table 4.2. As is seen in the table, it was calculated that the Kaiser-Meyer-Oklin value of the SMFSPT was above the value of (0.60) as proposed by Kaiser (1974), that p-value of the Bartlett's Test of Sphericity was less than 0.05, and that Chi-square value was 8817.790, p was 0.000 and Keizer-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.872. Conclusion: The validity and reliability tests of the "Scale of Motivational Factors for Starting to Play Tennis (SMFSPT)" regarding the Turkish population were performed. Keywords: Tennis, Validity, Reliability, Recreation