Investigating the relationship between anxiety and aggression among high school students who do and do not participate in sports

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between anxiety and aggression levels in high school students who do and do not do sports and to reveal the role of sports on these variables. The research was conducted on high school students studying in Samsun province in the 2024-2025 academic year within the scope of quantitative research. A total of 1096 students participated in the study, 561 of whom were male and 535 were female. In the study, the Anxiety Assessment Scale developed by Malakcioglu in 2022 and the Aggression Scale Short Form adapted by Kuzucu and Sarıot-Ertürk in 2020 were used. The findings showed that anxiety and aggression scores generally increased as age and grade level increased. According to gender, it was determined that anxiety levels were higher in female students and physical aggression levels were higher in male students. While there was no significant difference in anxiety levels in terms of sports status, it was observed that students who did sports at the professional level had higher physical aggression scores. In conclusion, anxiety and aggression during adolescence are interrelated psychological variables influenced by factors such as age, gender, and grade level. Although sports do not have a direct determining effect on anxiety, differences may arise in the dimension of aggression depending on the branch and sports level. In line with these findings, it is recommended to strengthen psychosocial support programs in schools and to plan sports activities holistically with guidance services.