The examination of the relationship between wrestlers psychological performance strategies and athlete self-efficacy

THE EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WRESTLERS PSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE STRATEGIES AND ATHLETE SELF-EFFICACY ABSTRACT This study aims to examine the relationship between psychological performance strategies and athlete self-efficacy among professional wrestlers aged 18 and over across Türkiye. The study population consists of individuals actively participating in wrestling. The sample group was selected using the simple random sampling method and includes a total of 342 wrestlers—120 females and 222 males—who voluntarily participated in the research. Emphasizing the importance of both the physical and psychological dimensions of sports, the study seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of psychological factors on athlete performance in the context of wrestling. For data collection, the "Athletic Coping Skills Inventory" developed by Smith et al. (1995) and adapted into Turkish by Erhan et al., as well as the "Athlete Self-Efficacy Scale" developed by Koçak (2020), were utilized.Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. Independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, and correlation analyses were conducted to examine the differences and relationships between variables. The findings revealed statistically significant differences in self-efficacy and psychological skill levels based on gender, age, national athlete status, years of experience, and wrestling style. Freestyle wrestlers were found to have higher levels of self-efficacy and psychological skills compared to Greco-Roman wrestlers. National athletes demonstrated significantly higher self-efficacy and psychological skill levels than non-national athletes. Furthermore, variables such as experience, age, national representation, and gender were found to significantly influence both psychological skills and self-efficacy. As age increased, levels of self-efficacy and psychological skills also increased. Male athletes exhibited higher levels of self-efficacy compared to female athletes. Additionally, a statistically significant relationship was identified between wrestlers' self-efficacy and psychological skill levels. Keywords: Sports, Wrestling, Psychology, Self-Efficacy, Success.