Investigation of the sensory profiles of sports sciences education of university students according to sports branchesGi̇resun University and Ordu University sample

Aim: In this study, the sensory profiles of university students receiving undergraduate education in sports sciences and the differences of these profiles in terms of "gender and sports branch" variables were examined. Material and Method: The research group consisted of 90 volunteer undergraduate students between the ages of 18-25, selected according to the purposive sampling method, studying sports sciences at Giresun University and Ordu University in the 2020-2021 academic year. The "Personal Information Form" prepared by the researcher and the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile Questionnaire whose Turkish adaptation was conducted by Aydın (2015) for validity/reliability were used to collect the research data. The means and standard deviations of the sub-dimensions of the scale were given, and the Cronbach-Alpha values for the scale and its sub-dimensions were checked. In addition, normality assumptions for the scale and its sub-dimensions were examined. Crosstabs were used in the analysis of sensory profile according to gender and sports branches, ANOVA F Test was used in the analysis of sports branches and scale sub-dimensions, and the chi-square test was used in the analysis of sports branches and sensory profile quadrants. Results: According to the data obtained in the study, it was concluded that the individual sensory profiles of the students are typical (like most people) in terms of "gender and sports branches" variables (P>0.05). No significant correlation was found between the mean scores of the answers given in the "Gender" variable for the "Sensory Sensitivity, Sensory Avoidance, Low Enrollment, and Sensory Seeker" sub-dimensions (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the answers given by the students in the "Sports Branch" variable and the mean scores of the mentioned sub-dimensions and the total scale(P>0.05). Conclusion: When we look at the results obtained in the research, the students who are engaged in martial arts and team sports have a "typical" profile, that is, similar to most people, in terms of the variables they are asked to evaluate. The answers of the students who are licensed in athletics and water sports on some variables were seen to be different from most people. There was no significant difference between the variables in the evaluation made according to the type of sport in the activities of daily living, taste processing, motion processing, visual processing, touch processing and auditory processing responses, but in the auditory process, the average score of the individuals engaged in water sports differed from appears to be significantly higher than the other groups. Key words: Sports Branch, Sensory Profile, Sensory Integration, Sports Sciences Students