Investigation of barriers to participate in sportive and recreational activities of different professional groups

The aim of this research is to investigate whether the barriers to participation in sportive and recreational activities in individuals in different occupational groups are related to demographic variables, and at the same time to examine the relationship between the occupations and the barriers and reasons for participation and to make suggestions to eliminate these barriers. The study employs quantitative data collection methods and is based on descriptive analysis. The population of the study consists of individuals working in various occupational groups in the provinces of Ankara, Bartın, and Mersin. The sample group of the study includes a total of 865 individuals, consisting of 426 women and 439 men, selected using a convenient sampling method from this population. The findings are discussed in light of the relevant literature, and recommendations for future research are developed. Data collection tools used in the study include a personal information form that captures the demographic characteristics of the participants and the Leisure Constraints Scale. In the first phase, questions determining the participants' demographic characteristics were prepared with expert opinion. In the second phase, the "Leisure Constraints" scale developed by Alexandris and Carrol (1997) was used, which has been translated into Turkish and validated by Karaküçük and Gürbüz (2006). The Turkish version of the scale consists of 18 items and 6 sub-dimensions. The data obtained from the scales were transferred to the SPSS 27.0 software package, and t-tests and one-way ANOVA tests were applied to determine differences between participants' leisure constraints and the variable of educational background. The analysis revealed no significant difference between leisure constraints and the gender variable. No statistically significant difference was found between leisure constraints and the variable of having children. However, a significant difference was observed between leisure constraints and the age variable. No significant difference was detected between leisure constraints and marital status. A significant difference was found between leisure constraints and educational background. Additionally, a significant difference was observed between leisure constraints and occupation. There was also a significant difference between leisure constraints and the number of children. No significant difference was found between leisure constraints and the number of years worked. However, a significant difference was observed between leisure constraints and daily working hours. No significant difference was found between leisure constraints and income. The findings of this thesis reveal that leisure constraints vary among individuals and that these differences are influenced by factors such as age, educational background, occupation, number of children, and working hours. While educational background and occupation affect individuals' leisure time management skills and their perception of constraints, personal responsibilities and workload, such as the number of children and working hours, restrict participation in leisure activities. The information obtained from the study has been discussed in relation to the existing literature, and suggestions have been developed to address and overcome the existing constraints.