Investigation of the relationship between fear of future and job search anxiety levels of sports sciences faculty students

Uncertainties in today's labor market increase the levels of future-oriented anxiety among university students. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between sport sciences faculty students' perceptions of their post-graduation life and career processes and their levels of future fear and job-finding anxiety. A quantitative research approach employing the relational survey model was used. The population of the study consisted of students enrolled in the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Bayburt University, while the sample comprised 408 students studying in different departments during the 2024–2025 academic year. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, including the Personal Information Form, the Future Fear Scale, and the Job-Finding Anxiety Scale. The data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. Descriptive statistics and Cronbach's Alpha coefficients were calculated, and after examining the distribution characteristics of the data, parametric tests were applied. Independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to determine differences according to demographic variables, while Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between variables. According to the findings, a strong and positive relationship was found between future fear and general future anxiety. Negative and significant relationships were identified between job-finding anxiety and future fear, hopelessness about the future, and general future anxiety. Significant differences were observed in job-finding anxiety, future fear, and general future anxiety levels according to gender, age, class level, and perceived income level. Overall, the results reveal that students' perceptions of the future and their levels of job-finding anxiety are significantly associated with demographic variables. Keywords: Fear of the future, anxiety, job search anxiety, youth unemployment.