The Correlation of Participation to Sport, Social Self-efficacy and Social Anxiety in Adolescents

Sports participation in adolescents may increase social self -efficacy and decrease social anxiety with time. Understanding the correlation between social self -efficacy and social anxiety may be useful for developing effective interventions for adolescents with social anxiety. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between social self -efficacy and social anxiety in athlete and non -athlete adolescents through some variables. A moderate negative correlation was determined between the participants' social self -efficacy and social anxiety levels. It was seen that social self -efficacy and social anxiety levels did not differ statistically according to gender variable. According to the age variable, it was determined that the social self -efficacy level of 16 -year -old participants was higher than 15 -year -old participants. According to the athletic variable of the study, it was determined that the social self -efficacy level of athlete participants was higher than non -athletes. In the study, it was determined that social anxiety levels did not differ statistically according to athletic status. As a result, it can be said that high social self -efficacy decreases the level of social anxiety in adolescents. Social self -efficacy and social anxiety levels of adolescents do not vary according to gender. While 16 years old participants had higher social self -efficacy than 15 years old participants, their social anxiety levels did not differ according to 15 and 16 years of age. Social self -efficacy of athlete adolescents is higher than nonathletes. In addition, it can be said that there is no statistically significant correlation between participation to sport and social anxiety in adolescents.