Examination of sports injury anxiety levels and personality traits of students in secondary education institutions (aged 14-17) (the case of Bingöl province)

Sports play a significant role in the physical, social, and psychological development of young individuals. High school students, while actively participating in sports activities, are exposed to the risk of injury, which can affect their levels of injury-related anxiety. At the same time, personality traits play an important role in shaping these anxiety levels. This study aimed to examine the injury anxiety levels and personality characteristics of students attending secondary education institutions in Bingöl province. The analysis considered variables such as participants' gender, sport branch, prior tournament participation, previous sports injury experience, parental education levels, and the likelihood of injury in sports. Employing a general screening method, the study utilized the "Sport Injury Anxiety Scale" and the "Ten-Item Personality Inventory." A total of 220 voluntary students (131 males and 89 females) enrolled in Ministry of National Education high schools in Bingöl during the 2023-2024 academic year participated in the research. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and One-Way ANOVA tests were conducted using SPSS 25.0 software for comparisons between two or more groups, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. No significant differences were found in injury anxiety levels based on parental education (p > 0.05). However, significant differences were detected according to previous injury experience, gender, sport branch, and tournament participation variables. It should be considered that individuals' injury anxiety may be related not only to parental education levels but also to the psychological support provided during sports training. Therefore, it is recommended to expand guidance services aimed at reducing injury anxiety among students participating in sports, regardless of their family's educational background.