Attitudes and happiness levels of secondary schools towards physical education and sports lessons according to morning and evening types

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of morning and evening (chronotype) tendencies of secondary school students on their attitudes towards physical education course and their general happiness levels. In the study, the reflections of students' biological rhythms and sleep preferences on their interest in physical activities and their attitudes towards physical education course were investigated, and the relationship between chronotype characteristics and general happiness levels was evaluated. The study was designed with quantitative method and was conducted within the framework of cross-sectional survey design aiming to reach generalisations with the data obtained from the whole or a part of the universe. The study was carried out on students studying in various secondary schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in the 2024-2025 academic year. In the data collection process, the Morning-Evening Stability Scale (MPSS), the Physical Education Lesson Attitude Scale and the Physical Education Lesson Happiness Level Scale (PEHLSS), which were included in the literature and for which the necessary permissions were obtained, were used. The collected data were analysed using SPSS software. In the analysis process, the suitability of the data for normal distribution was determined by Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests; then parametric tests such as descriptive statistics, reliability analyses, t-test for independent groups, t-test for repeated measures (Paired Sample T-test), one-way ANOVA, correlation and regression analyses were applied. The findings of the study revealed that morning students had more positive attitudes towards physical education class and had higher levels of general happiness compared to evening students. The results of the study indicate the importance of creating educational environments that take into account the biological rhythms of students in schools and that positive attitudes towards physical education classes can increase students' general happiness levels.