| Abstract [eng] |
This master's thesis examines the impact of students' participation in athletics training on the formation of their personal priorities and motivation to participate in sports. The choice of the topic was determined by both a personal interest in the development of adolescents through sports activities and a practical need to better understand what factors determine the long-term involvement of adolescents in sports. The work is based on modern theories of education, psychology and sports, especially self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), Maslow's (1943) hierarchy of needs model, social constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978) and Erikson's (2004) concept of developmental stages. Research problem. Although the impact of sport on the physical, emotional and social development of adolescents has been widely studied (Šukys & Kardelis, 2000; Žilinskienė, 2008; Biddle & Asare, 2011), there is still a lack of research examining how participation in structured sports activities, such as athletics training, affects adolescents’ motivation and the formation of their personal priorities. In the Lithuanian context, this aspect has not yet been sufficiently revealed – most studies are focused on physical or academic results, rather than on the person’s inner world, value attitudes and motivational sources (Jankauskas, 2015; Frankl, 2008). Thus, the question arises: how does the participation of schoolchildren in athletics training affect their personal priorities and motivation? This question requires examining the challenges faced by adolescents attending LA training, whether this activity strengthens internal and external motivation, or forms long-term values. Research object. The relationship between the participation of adolescents (14–17 years old) in athletics training and their personal priorities and motivation. Hypothesis. The participation of students in athletics training is associated with the expression of stronger internal motivation and the formation of clearer personal priorities. The purpose of the study. To investigate how the participation of students in athletics training affects the formation of their personal priorities and motivation. Objectives:To analyze the scientific literature on the motivation of adolescents and the formation of personal priorities in sports activities. To investigate the motives of students in athletics training and the internal and external factors affecting them. To determine how athletics training contributes to the formation of students' personal priorities. To assess what factors most encourage or inhibit students' motivation to participate in athletics training. Research methods. Literature analysis, questionnaire survey, mathematical statistics and comparative analysis. Research sample and selection. The research sample consisted of 121 (14-17 years old) adolescents attending athletics training in Šiauliai and Klaipėda. This age group was not chosen by chance. According to EMKOB (2000), older adolescence is one of the most favorable periods for physical self-development, because although the need for physical activity naturally decreases, adolescents are able to more consciously evaluate their activities and make decisions related to a healthy lifestyle. In addition, at this age, the criteria for evaluating oneself and others change – they become more objective and stable, and adolescents look more critically at the authority of adults and the social environment (Kpafir, 2002). Research results and main conclusions. The results of the study showed that the motivation of adolescents to attend athletics training is determined by both internal and external factors. Most respondents said that they do sports for themselves, the desire to improve, and the joy they experience, but the support of the coach, peer recognition, clear sports goals and participation in competitions also have a significant impact. |
